Asian American Studies in the Land of Minnesota (Not So) Nice

In this article, we tell a story of Asian American studies in the state of Minnesota through the dual discourses of “model minority” and “Minnesota Nice.” Minnesota’s largest Asian American demographics include Southeast Asian refugees and Korean adoptees, which makes it a compelling site to do Asian American studies. We argue that the history and struggle of Asian American studies in Minnesota has the potential to challenge broader assumptions about an entire field.