ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes the conceptual framework that consists of overarching themes that are foundational for understanding Asian female scholars in the Western academy. It centers on the personal, sociocultural, political, and academic issues encountered by Asian female scholars in higher education in cross-cultural contexts. Through addressing issues of gender and racial identity, psychological stress, and sociopolitical mobilization, the book provides Asian female faculty in institutions of higher education with strategies that may become critical to their retention in academia. It looks at the positionality of Asian female faculty members either within the academy in general or in their specific fields of study. The book presents personal and professional struggles with converging racial (“model minority”) and gender (“lotus blossom”) stereotypes throughout seven years of teaching at various college campuses.
