Empowering the silent ranks: The Southeast Asian experience

Abstract Southeast Asians are among the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States, yet the rich and varied Southeast Asian newcomer experiences remain underrepresented within the community psychology literature Much of this experience raises complex questions about the concept of empowerment. In this paper we summarize recent published work on the Southeast Asian experience. We will show that three themes have dominated extant work: (1) the importance of understanding the cultural dimensions of Southeast Asian experiences, including the ways in which broad differences between American and Southeast Asian culture call into question the suitability of Western approaches to intervention within the Southeast Asian community; (2) the importance of understanding the trauma and hardship of the immigration experience which accompanied the forced migration of many in the Southeast Asian community; and (3) the urgency of adopting effective strategies for addressing the pressing needs with this new immigrant community. Each of these themes potentially lends itself to an empowerment focus, but we will see that much of the work has been pursued in ways that are inconsistent with an empowerment perspective. We end the discussion with a consideration of what community psychology might gain from a deeper understanding of the Southeast Asian immigrant experience and we suggest possible areas for disciplinary involvement in Southeast Asian empowerment efforts.