Yingyin Han’s Dissertation Defense
PhD candidate Yingying Han will present her dissertation proposal, "Community Archives as Agency: Documenting Chinese American Experiences in the U.S." Han dissertation committee includes Associate Professor Anita Chan, Chair, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Associate Teaching Professor Martin Wolske Research, Director, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Assistant Professor Karen Wickett, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Professor Clara Chu, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Professor Michelle Caswell, University of California, Los Angeles.
Abstract
Asian American identities have been shaped by intersecting forces of race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Throughout U.S. history, Asian Americans have faced exclusionary narratives and structural violence. This marginalization is compounded by the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of Asian American histories in mainstream archives, which have historically reproduced the logic of Orientalism, imperialism, and surveillance.
This dissertation proposes dialogue-based archives as a relational, participatory framework that complements collection-centered approaches. Grounded in Freire’s theory of dialogue and community-engaged scholarship, it emphasizes building equitable relationships through epistemic equity and critical reflexivity.
The framework highlights the reciprocal nature of archival work, extending beyond representation values and highlighting community archives as spaces of care and mutual support through their navigational and educational value. It conceptualizes community archives as boundary objects: dynamic infrastructures situated in communities that connect everyday stories and struggles with broader systems of community support and advocacy.
Question? Contact Yingying Han.