WATCH: From Chinatown to Vietnam: Locating Histories of Asian American Anti-Imperialism

Galvanized by mass opposition to the genocide in Gaza, today’s anti-war movement is growing rapidly and raising mass consciousness about the violences of U.S. imperialism. In this critical moment, what lessons can we learn from anti-imperialist movements of the past? In this discussion, Mark Tseng-Putterman will discuss his research on Asian American anti-imperialism during the Cold War period, focusing on how Asian American activists worked across ethnic, class, and generational lines. Join us as we discuss how prior generations of Asian American anti-imperialist activism can inform our work today to end the war in Korea and end U.S. militarism globally.

Mark Tseng-Putterman is a writer and historian whose work engages the history of Asian American internationalism, anti-imperialism, and community politics. His dissertation, “Beyond Belonging: Asian American Internationalism and Cold War Empire” explores how Asian American diasporic identifications navigated the Cold War crossroads of racial inclusion and US imperialism. He will earn his doctorate in American Studies from Brown University in 2024. His writing on Asian American racial politics has appeared in outlets including The Atlantic, ROAR Magazine, and Monthly Review. Join us as we discuss how prior generations of Asian American anti-imperialist activism can inform our work today to end the war in Korea and end U.S. militarism globally.