Identities on Trial in the United States: Asylum Seekers from Asia (Crossing Borders in a Global World: Applying Anthropology to Migration, Displacement, and Social Change)

ChorSwang Ngin radically shifts the asylum-seeking narrative by focusing on rarely heard stories of persecution and escape from China and southeast Asia. Identities on Trial in the United States weaves together the cases of a tortured student from a Myanmar prison, an apostate of Islam, several victims of ethnic and sexual violence from Indonesia, and the escape of men and women from China's draconian one-child policy, among others. Joann Yeh, an immigration attorney and contributor to this work, examines asylum seeking in a Mandarin-speaking Californian community and discuss the failure of the United States' quasi-judicial immigration system, highlighting "asylum lawfare" in courtroom dramas and arguing for an anthropological advantage in asylum preparation. This book is an essential text for policy makers, students, lawyers, activists, and those engaged with migration studies seeking a more just asylum outcome. "ChorSwang Ngin radically shifts the asylum seeking narrative by focusing on rarely heard stories of persecution and escape from China and southeast Asia. 'Identities on Trial in the United States: Asylum Seekers from Asia' weaves together the cases of a tortured student from a Myanmar prison, an apostate from Islam, several victims of ethnic and sexual violence from Indonesia, and men and women escaping China's draconian one-child policy and prohibition of Falun Gong practice, among others. Joann Yeh, an immigration attorney who co-authored three chapters, examines the act of asylum seeking in a Mandarin-speaking, Californian community and discusses the failure of the United States' quasi-judicial immigration system, highlighting 'asylum lawfare' in courtroom dramas and arguing for an 'anthropological advantage' in asylum preparation. This book is an essential text for policy makers, students, lawyers, activists, and those engaged with migration studies who want a more just outcome for asylum seekers"-- Back cover "ChorSwang Ngin radically shifts the asylum seeking narrative by focusing on rarely heard stories of persecution and escape from China and southeast Asia. 'Identities on Trial in the United States' weaves together the cases of a tortured student from a Myanmar prison, an apostate from Islam, several victims of ethnic and sexual violence from Indonesia, and men and women escaping China’s draconian one-child policy and prohibition of Falun Gong practice, among others. Joann Yeh, an immigration attorney, co-authored three chapters to examine asylum seeking in a Mandarin-speaking Californian community and discuss the failure of the United States quasi-judicial immigration system, highlighting the 'asylum lawfare' in courtroom drama, and to argue for an 'anthropological advantage' in asylum preparation. This book is essential text for policy makers, students, lawyers, activists, and those engaged with migration studies seeking a more just asylum outcome."-- Back cover Foreword / David W. Haines -- Introduction : the asylum seeker as the anthropological figure of the twenty-first century -- I don't need your bones to know your race -- How much Chinese should a Chinese be? -- Racialization and persecution -- A student protester from a Myanmar prison -- A Buddhist monk, a Catholic woman, a Christian pastor -- Did Jesus walk through a field of wheat or a field of grass? / co-authored with Joann Yeh -- An apostate from Indonesia : a convert from Islam to Catholicism -- Ethnographic details as evidence on rape and pregnancy -- Without evidence and without witness -- Dowry dispute : a case for the law firm of Seyfarth Shaw -- A filial daughter's love of Falun Gong exercises -- Her forced abortion was a frivolous claim -- Double tragedy : Mr. Song's humiliation or embarrassment? -- Article I courts in a world of uncertainties / co-authored with Joann Yeh -- An anthropologist in the courtroom / co-authored with Joann Yeh Identities on Trial in the United States radically shifts the asylum seeker narrative by focusing on rarely heard stories of persecution and escape from China and Southeast Asia. ChorSwang Ngin, with contributions from immigration attorney, Joann Yeh, explores asylum seeker cases through an anthropological and legal lens