Asian American Literature and the Resistances of Theory
In 1974, the newly established Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, submitted "A Proposal for the Establishment of the College of Third World Studies" to the university's Provost. In its proposed structure for a major in Asian American Studies, the committee recommended that students concentrate on one of three areas in addition to taking a set of core courses: community studies, social sciences, or humanities. While the first two concentrations are clearly designed to contribute "to the body of direct experimental knowledge of the conditions in the Asian American community" (A18) and promote "service to the Asian American people" (A17), the humanities concentration is marked by a noticeable lack of content and cohesion. Only two courses, one on Asian American literature and a creative writing workshop, are listed in the proposal, and this lack of structure is reflected in its provisional tone: