Is Harvard Unfair to Asian-Americans?

[Mosiah]

Is Harvard Unfair to Asian-Americans?
By YASCHA MOUNK
NOVEMBER 24, 2014
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — NEARLY a century ago, Harvard had a big problem: Too many Jews. By 1922, Jews accounted for 21.5 percent of freshmen, up from 7 percent in 1900 and vastly more than at Yale or Princeton. In the Ivy League, only Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania had a greater proportion of Jews.

Harvard’s president, A. Lawrence Lowell, warned that the “Jewish invasion” would “ruin the college.” He wanted a cap: 15 percent. When faculty members balked, he stacked the admissions process to achieve the same result. Bolstered by the nativism of the time, which led to sharp immigration restrictions, Harvard’s admissions committee began using the euphemistic criteria of “character and fitness” to limit Jewish enrollment. As the sociologist Jerome Karabel has documented, these practices worked for the next three decades to suppress the number of Jewish students.

A similar injustice is at work today, against Asian-Americans.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/25...html?referrer=

[Islandman]

It could very well be but in the long run it probably won't matter much because they have developed a culture of academic excellence. They will do well Harvard or no Harvard. Take a look at a school like Bronx Science and you will see that clearly.

How I wish we had this problem. I wonder how many more Fergusons it will take before our people realise that mass protests followed by an extended state of inertia until the next reason to protest WILL NOT bring about the changes we want.

The real work to be done is in the communities and is staring us in the face every day. Alas, as the JC'ites would say it is burning in the field.

[Hortical]

Too many of us are barking up the wrong tree, and seek out solutions from politicians. Cops kill black people everyday and most of us just flinch and then migrate to another incident. Aren't we not tired of crying over the man's shoulder everyday?

[Hortical]

Asian Americans and the 'model minority' myth

Asian Americans and the 'model minority' myth

Previews of Amy Chua's forthcoming book, "The Triple Package" (co-written with husband Jed Rubenfeld), detonated a social media uproar among Asian Americans. Many were infuriated by the New York Post's report that Chua, the self-styled Tiger Mom, was identifying eight superior "cultural" groups in the United States: Jewish, Indian, Chinese, Iranian, Lebanese, Nigerian, Cuban and Mormon. For Asian Americans, the problem is about another Chua production that seems to perpetuate the "model minority" myth and, in particular, the notion that Asians are culturally — even genetically — endowed with the characteristics that enable them to succeed in American society.

read more

[Islandman]

Very strange that he starts out talking about Asian-Americans and then writes a whole article on the Chinese.

Anybody who doesn't think that culture does not impact life outcomes is misguided.

When I refer to culture I am not talking about what music people listen to or what food they eat, I am talking about how they LIVE in thier communities day to day. It does make a difference.

[Mosiah]

Can't share your view in total.

It does matter if Harvard accepts them or not. A Harvard graduate does not start on a level playing field. And we have to wonder what happens at the other Ivy League schools and institutions in general.

For me, I found the part about not wanting whites to become the minority at Harvard to be the crux of the matter.

Is this the fear of other US institutions? In how many ways will they contort themselves in order to remain the majority or at least maintain power?

[Islandman]

I take your point. I have always had an issue with the way the people who attack affirmative action typically have had very little to say about legacy and other preferential admissions. Does anyone really think GW Bush got accepted to an Ivy league school based on merit?

My "does not matter" comment was really addressing the observation that the Asian American community taken as a whole, like Jewish Americans have done before them, are excelling at such a level that they soon will be a powerful minority group to reckon with despite having to deal with unfair practices such as these. Clearly at an individual level going to Harvard does make a difference to someone career.

What about us? Yes I know and appreciate that the history and circumstances of both communities are very different but nontheless if we do not do something about strengthening our economic base then I maintain that we are going to be scraping for crumbs and begging for sympathy for a very long time to come.

[Don1]

When I refer to culture I am not talking about what music people listen to or what food they eat, I am talking about how they LIVE in thier communities day to day. It does make a difference.

Indeed

This is the ONLY thing that makes any significant difference

[Mosiah]

Clearly at an individual level going to Harvard does make a difference to someone career.

I'm saying it is more than just an individual thing!

Agree with the rest - we need to take care of business (education, business, family, etc.) among ourselves! I posted something some time ago about how the Jews just buckled down and became money people when things were not looking good for them, or something like that.