Anti-Black Racism in China: Through the Eyes of Aaron A. Vessup and Lou Jing
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2020
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Bi-College (Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges). Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
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Thesis
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Award
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eng
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Bi-College users only
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Abstract
This thesis examines and analyzes anti-black racism in China through two different cases. Aaron A. Vessup, a professor from Chicago, moves to China to continue his teaching career. He is exposed to racism and microagressions, which he writes about in his book Black in China. Lou Jing, a half African American, half Shanghainese girl, rises to fame when she is a contestant on the Shanghai's version of American Idol, Let's Go! Oriental Angel. Lou Jing is met with criticisms about her race, which opens a debate about whether or not she is Chinese. Along with introducing and analyzing the stories of these two people, this thesis will examine the history of colorism in China, the treatment of African Americans in China, and racism in Chinese media in order to open a discussion about anti-black racism in China and its different forms. This thesis discovers that anti-black racism in China is a product of the history of colorism in China. This history has led to many Chinese people thinking that those who are black are inferior to them. This thesis will question these notions of inferiority and attempt to come up with solutions and change for this racism.