An invaluable reference for school and public libraries as well as academic libraries at colleges and universities, this two-volume encyclopedia provides comprehensive coverage of a variety of Asian American cultural forms that enables readers to understand the history, complexity, and contemporary practices in Asian American culture. The contributed entries address the diversity of a group comprising people with geographically discrete origins in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, identifying the rich variations across the category of Asian American culture that are key to understanding specific cultural expressions while also pointing out some commonalities.

Entries are organized alphabetically and cover topics in the arts; education and politics; family and community; gender and sexuality; history and immigration; holidays, festivals, and folk tradition; literature and culture; media, sports, and popular culture; and religion, belief, and spirituality. Entries also broadly cover Asian American origins and history, regional practices and traditions, contemporary culture, and art and other forms of shared expression. Accompanying sidebars throughout serve to highlight key individuals, major events, and significant artifacts and allow readers to better appreciate the Asian American experience.

Features

• Provides readers with a broad understanding of the variety and commonalities in Asian American culture, enabling a fuller comprehension of Asian American history, experience, and cultural expressions
• Offers comprehensive, in-depth, and accessibly written coverage that addresses a wide variety of Asian American cultural forms such as folk tradition, literature, religion, education, politics, sports, and popular culture
• Highlights differences among Asian American cultures and identifies important achievements through biographies of key figures as well as spotlights on historical events, legal cases, and significant artifacts in sidebars
• Presents sources for more information on the subjects discussed with Further Readings for each entry