Mothering, othering: Communicating success between three generations of Chinese American women

This dissertation is a study of how definitions of success and identity are transmitted through three generations of women in a single Chinese American family. The study produced data pertaining to: (1) definitions of success; (2) patterns of communication among the three generations of women; (3) ethnic identity patterns across each generation.;Much has been written on the apparent success of Asian Americans. Indeed, Asian Americans--especially Chinese Americans--have been referred to as a "model minority." Yet, there is a paucity of scholarly information on success and Chinese American women. Through in-depth interviews, this case study examines how twenty-two Chinese American women in a single extended family define success. Interviews were taped and transcribed. All of the participants are United States citizens. All participants speak fluent English.;This study confirms previous research that Chinese Americans believe in education as a means to success. Chinese Americans have spent disproportional amounts on their children's education, often sacrificing virtually all for the sake of education. It also adds to the literature on the Chinese American immigrant experience as it is affected by education across generations. The study also supports previous research on Chinese American mother-daughter communication. The push towards success has resulted in a loss of ethnic identity through the generations, as each successive generation has yielded to enormous pressure to assimilate in order to achieve.