Focusing on the intersection of labor, immigration laws, and gender, the book examines the impact of systemic racism on Asian American relationships. It delves into how discriminatory labor conditions shape interactions and experiences between Asian American women and men, highlighting the complexities of love and partnership in the context of societal challenges. Espiritu's analysis sheds light on the broader implications of these dynamics within the Asian American community.
Prologue : a letter to our communities -- Introduction : departures -- A refugee critique of the law : on "fear and persecution" -- A refugee critique of fear : on livability and durability -- A refugee critique of humanitarianism : on ungratefulness and refusal -- A refugee critique of representations : on criticality and creativity -- Conclusion : in/verse -- Epilogue : a letter to UNHCR.
Examines how the Vietnam War has continued to serve as a stage for the shoring up of American imperialist adventure and for the (re)production of American and Vietnamese American identities.