Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Welfare Policies And Racial Stereotypes: The Structural Construction Of A Model Minority, Mary E. Kelsey

Explorations in Ethnic Studies

Whereas the economic mobility observed among Asian Americans is often attributed to their cultural values, this article demonstrates the importance of state aid to the economic mobility of a community of Southeast Asian refugees living in California. Using data from a lengthy ethnographic study of rural Laotian refugees, the content and administration of social welfare programs offered political refugees is contrasted with the social policies extended toward other poor communities. As variations in social policies can constrain or facilitate economic mobility, the concrete impact of welfare state policies on different ethnic communities is a topic in need of further exploration.