CFP: Choosing to be Hmong and American Scholarly Anthology
Dear Colleagues: *Proposals are still welcome for a new essay collection, Choosing to Be Hmong and
American: Re-envisioning Identity, Community and Culture in Modern Society/. *The due date for proposals
has been changed to ** *October 14, 2008* ** (with complete essays to be sent February 16). The original
call for proposals is attached. Response so far has been very positive. We look forward to hearing from
more people – teachers, students, community leaders and activists, creative writers and artists, social
workers and others involved with Hmong American communities across the country – on a variety of topics.
If you have any questions about possible proposal topics, we would be glad to hear from you. Vincent K.
Her, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse her.vinc@uwlax.edu, and Mary Louise Buley-Meissner, University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee E-mail: meissner@uwm.edu
Call for papers: Choosing to Be Hmong and American: Re-Envisioning Identity, Community and
Culture in Modern Society. Edited by Vincent K. Her and Mary Louise Buley-Meissner.
We are seeking contributions for a collection of essays addressing the question: What does it mean to be
Hmong in America today? Given the fact that 80% of the Hmong in the U.S. are citizens by birth or
naturalization, we are particularly interested in how people are developing bicultural identities as they
participate in helping to create the ethnic and social fabric of multicultural America. Across academic
disciplines, we encourage contributors to explore these central themes: the complexity and diversity of
individual identity; the interrelationship of personal identity, family ties, and awareness of community history;
and the dynamically evolving nature of culture itself. We invite personal reflection as well as discipline-
specific analysis of topics such as the following:
Identity:
_ What, if any, essential characteristics define Hmong identity in modern American society? Are these
characteristics different for first, second and subsequent generations of Hmong Americans?
_ What is the significance of memory and emotion in identity formation?
_ How does place (or displacement) influence people’s sense of self and belonging?
_ How do experiences of home and family shape individual and collective identity?
_ How do changing gender roles and responsibilities complicate the development of bicultural identity in
modern society?
_ For Hmong American high school and college students in particular, what identity issues seem
especially challenging?
_ With an increasing number of Hmong Americans active in a variety of professional fields, how do their
experiences influence contemporary understanding of identity, community and culture?
Community:
_ How are Hmong Americans re-evaluating the structure, meaning and significance of clans and clan
leadership in community life? In the context of this re-evaluation, what does obligation to family and
community mean to different generations of Hmong Americans today?
_ In the process of community re-formation, what kinds of conversations are taking place among
individuals, families and community groups regarding Hmong American identity in modern society?
_ As a community, how are Hmong Americans dealing with differences from perceived norms of
identity? For example, as intermarriage increases between people of different ethnicities, dialects and
religions, how are definitions of Hmong American identity being re-negotiated? Also, how can serious
discussion of GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered) identity be included in this renegotiation?
_ How can community be re-envisioned through multicultural collaboration to address social justice issues?
How are Hmong Americans -- in collaboration with other ethnic groups -- dealing with social problems such
as poverty and unemployment, health care for the elderly, juvenile delinquency and domestic violence?
_ In striving toward full equality for Hmong Americans in modern society, what kind of social activism can be
undertaken by Hmong and non-Hmong across academic disciplines and from different walks of life?
_ What are the most effective means for responding to media bias in representations of Hmong and Hmong
Americans?
Culture:
_ How is culture itself made evident in everyday family beliefs and practices? How do changing family
dynamics reflect ongoing processes of cultural expression, contestation, reform and renewal?
_ How does research on possible Hmong origin in China relate to contemporary understanding of Hmong
American identity?