The conversation
Asians are good at math? Why it’s just not a compliment to dress up racism as a compliment
Could it ever be funny to compare to a calculator? Fox Television Animation The story that “Asians are good at math” is common in the United States. Young children are aware of this. Academic performance of college students can be affected by this. At first glance, the narrative “Asians are good at math” sounds like a compliment. What’s wrong with saying that someone is good at something? But as I explained in a magazine article, there are two problems. First, the narrative is false. Secondly, it is racist. And amid a surge in violent attacks on people identified as Asians, it is worth remembering that the core of anti-Asian racism has always been dehumanization. I am an experienced teacher and researcher of STEM education. Research tells us that racism is part of students’ classroom experiences in these subjects. If we do not understand how racism works – even in supposedly ‘neutral’ areas such as STEM, we can subconsciously retrieve racist ideas. Breaking down the myth As with many racial stereotypes, people are really curious as to whether the story “Asians are good at math” can be true. There are videos on YouTube with a few million views asking the question. Do test results not prove the narrative? In fact, they do not. At international exams, it is true that Asian countries are one of the best performers in mathematics. But it is also true that other Asian countries occupy the 38th, 46th, 59th and 63rd place. It is interesting that the top performers also provide guidance, but there is no narrative that ‘Asians are good at literature’. Domestically, it is the same story. Research shows a significant variation in mathematical performance among different Asian ethnic groups in the US. If all Asian people were mathematically gifted, we would not have to see this kind of variation. A better explanation has to do with education policy and federal immigration laws. Countries that invest in high-quality teacher training and curricula perform better on international tests. In the US, the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act gave preference to STEM professionals from Asia. This policy affected my own parents, who could immigrate to the US by law, not because South Asian people are good doctors by nature. ‘Mongoloid’ to ‘model minority’. If this is not true then why do we say it? Today, Asians are often seen as the ‘model minority’ – hardworking, academically talented and professionally successful – but this has not always been the case. In the 18th century, Asian people were classified as ‘Mongoloids’, a racist term based on the pseudoscience of craniometry. While ‘caucasoids’ (white people) are considered full-fledged people with superior intellect, all coloreds are considered uninvolved. From the late 19th century, a new image of Asian people was born: national threat. Chinese immigrants are seen as an economic threat to white American workers, and Japan became a military threat during World War II. Asian people in the US still experience racism even today. In fact, the idea of ’model minority’ has always been a way of pitting Asians against supposed ‘non-model’ groups – in other words non-Asians of color. The implication is: If Asians can do it, why not? An Andrew Yang supporter wearing a hat with the slogan ‘Math’ of his campaign, on Friday 22 November 2019 in South Carolina. AP Photo / Meg Kinnard People, not robots Although the story “Asians are good at math” is untrue, it still has a significant impact on people’s lives. Like the “model minority” myth, it positions non-Asians with color as mathematically inferior. It can also be a source of pressure for Asian students. But the real impact of the story “Asians are good at math” goes deeper. Take, for example, a scene from an episode of the long-running adult cartoon ‘Family Guy’. The main character, Peter, reminds him of taking a maths exam. While the shot goes over other students, each one takes a calculator out of their pocket. Peter takes out a boy with Asian characteristics, lights him with a pencil, and says, “Do math!” It seems funny at first, but the underlying message is clear: Asian people are not seen as people; these are calculators. Asians are literally objectified, considered capable of doing things at a speed and scale that ‘normal’ people cannot do. In other words, they become dehumanized. Calculators are only capable of procedural tasks, not creativity. For Asian people, this implies that although they can pass the technical STEM subjects, the humanities and creative arts are not for them. Part of what’s going on has to do with the way society understands ‘good in math’. Mathematics is widely regarded as one of the most difficult subjects to learn. Those who can do so are often seen as ‘nerds’. Movies about mathematicians like “A Beautiful Mind” and “The Imitation Game” usually portray them as antisocial. Mathematicians may be considered brilliant, but they are not considered ‘normal’. Usually we think of dehumanization in terms of intellectual deprivation. 21st Century Americans, for example, continue to associate African-American people with monkeys, a racist herd. What happens to Asian people is different, yet harmful. They become hyperintelligent robots. Resist the story We can all play a role in resisting this false story. Teachers can help by monitoring the types of learning opportunities their Asian students offer. Do they treat themselves like calculators, giving them only procedural tasks – or do Asian students get their creativity and ideas in front of the class? To help teachers detect prejudices, my research team developed a free web application called EQUIP. Most people easily recognize overt racist behavior and language. But I believe we also need to learn how to spot racism in its more subtle forms. The next time you hear someone say “Asians are good at math”, do not hear it as a joke – hear it as racism. [ Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter. ]This article was published from The Conversation, a non-profit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Niral Shah, University of Washington. Read more: What is a hate crime? The narrow legal definition makes it difficult to charge and convict. Racism is behind anti-Asian American violence, even if it is not a hate crime. Why are cash payments not always the best tool to help poor people, for whom Niral Shah does not work, does not consult? funding from or receiving from any company or organization that will benefit from this article, and that has not disclosed any applicable commitments other than their academic appointment.