Vietnamese Americans History, Education, and Societal Context

• Published in: Journal of Southeast Asian American education & advancement Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 1 - 25
• Main Authors: Kula, Stacy M., Tran, Vinh Q., Garcia, Iraise E., Saito, L. Erika, Paik, Susan J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wayne E. Wright 2021
• Subjects: Research and Practice
• ISSN: 2153-8999; 2153-8999
• DOI: 10.7771/2153-8999.1201

While Asian Americans are often depicted as one high-achieving group, there are in fact a wide diversity of Asian American populations that each have their own history and acculturation experiences in the United States. Vietnamese Americans are a particularly unique group; having come with other Southeast Asian refugee groups after the Vietnam War, they are a relatively recent addition to U.S. society with very different circumstances of arrival in comparison with groups from other regions of Asia. This article takes a historical lens to understand the unique factors surrounding Vietnamese American entry to the United States—including policy, societal reception, co-ethnic community, and other barriers and opportunities—that shaped acculturation experiences for this group, influencing their subsequent educational and occupational outcomes.