Lecture 2/4/2021: “Generations of South Asians in the US: Generation Z and Competition in the New Millennium” By Shalini Shankar

As South Asian Americans gain unprecedented levels of educational and professional success, their visibility and presence has come under increasing scrutiny and even critique. This talk explores how being a “Tiger Parent” today epitomizes a type of Asian immigrant intensity that may even exceed Amy Chua’s original “Tiger Mother” character. Drawing on research conducted at spelling bees with Generation Z spellers (born 1997-2012), I explore how “Bee Parents” who raise Indian American spelling bee champions leverage their educational training as Asian immigrants and envision their children’s futures in an increasingly competitive youth world.

Shalini Shankar

Shalini Shankar is a Professor of Anthropology and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University. She is the author of three books, including Beeline: What Spelling Bees Reveal about Generation Z’s New Path to Success. She is a cultural and linguistic anthropologist whose ethnographic research focuses on youth, media, language use, race & ethnicity, and Asian diasporas. She is the mother of two Gen Z children.

The lecture and discussion will take place on February 4th, 2021 at 6:00pm on Zoom. If you are interested in attending please click here to RSVP and we will send you a reminder and the Zoom link closer to the date of the event. If you have any questions about the event (or if the link does not work), please email us at: indiastudies@csulb.edu