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8/9/2019 Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in
1/30
Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis
of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in the Affirmative
Action Debate
Julie J. Park, Amy Liu
The Journal of Higher Education, Volume 85, Number 1, January/February
2014, pp. 36-64 (Article)
Published by The Ohio State University Press
DOI: 10.1353/jhe.2014.0001
For additional information about this article
Access provided by Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale (16 Oct 2014 19:21 GMT)
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jhe/summary/v085/85.1.park.html
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jhe/summary/v085/85.1.park.htmlhttp://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jhe/summary/v085/85.1.park.html8/9/2019 Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in
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Interest Convergence 39
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Interest Convergence 45
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Interest Convergence 47
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48 The Journal of Higher Education
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Interest Convergence 49
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50 The Journal of Higher Education
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!&%2'"#1+ '1 /'?/%2 %$,"#0'41 '+ 0/#0 0/%'2 1,&%2'"#( 2%:2%+%10#0'41 '1
+%(%"0'>% '1+0'0,0'41+ '+ # :24W) -42 +,""%++6 !+ 9% +/49C %124(('1? "2'0'=
"#( ++%+ 4- !+'#1 !&%2'"#1 +0,$%10+ '+ '1 +4&% 9#)+ # "#+% 4- '10%2=
%+0 "41>%2?%1"% -42 +%(%"0'>% /'?/%2 %$,"#0'41 '1+0'0,0'41+ #1$ !+'#1
!&%2'"#1+6 Q,::420'1? #$&'00%$ +0,$%10+C /49%>%2C '+ # $'--%2%10 +042)6
Interest Convergence: But Who Truly Benefits?
!$&'00'1? 1,&%2'"#( "2'0'"#( ++%+ 4- E\#+0 #1$ Q4,0/I !+'#1 !&%2=
'"#1+ 9428+ '1 0/% '10%2%+0+ 4- %('0% /'?/%2 %$,"#0'41 '1+0'0,0'41+ #+ 9%((
#+ 0/% +/420=0%2& '10%2%+0+ 4- !+'#1 !&%2'"#1 +0,$%10+6 T40/ :#20'%+
#$&'++'41 04 # :2%+0'?'4,+ ,1'>%2+'0)C #1$ /#>'1? # /'?/%2 !+'#1 !&%2'=
0/%) "#1 #(+4 5% # -42& 4- $#?% "41024( -42 '1+0'0,0'41+ 9#10'1? 04
+8 0/%'2 (49 RY^ %124((&%10+6 % '1$'"#042 4- &%2'06 S1 #1 %2# 9/%2% '1+0'0,0'41#(
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-24& '1+0'0,0'41+ 0/#0 Q!O +"42%+ %2 /#+ (%$ \#+0 !+'#1 !&%2'"#1+
8/9/2019 Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in
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Interest Convergence 51
'1 :#20'",(#2 04 '1>%+0 +,5+0#10'#( 0'&% #1$ &41%) '1 0/% 0%+0 :2%: '1$,+=
=
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#2$+ 0/#0 #""4&:#1) 0/% 048%1 +0#0,+ 0/#0 94,($ ('8%() #2'+% 9'0/ (49%2
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=
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=
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When (Numerical) Critical Mass Backfires: Interest Divergence
O/% 2%(#0'>%() /'?/ %124((&%10+ 4- !+'#1 !&%2'"#1+ #0 +%(%"0'>%
/'?/%2 %$,"#0'41 '1+0'0,0'41+ 45-,+"#0%+ 0/% $4",&%10%$ "/#((%1?%+0/#0 !+'#1 !&%2'"#1 -#",(0) -#"% '1 2%"%'>'1? 0%1,2%C 0/% (49 1,&5%2
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8/9/2019 Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in
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52 The Journal of Higher Education
5240/%2+ #1$ 0/%'2 +'+0%2+ #1$ 0/%'2 ?2#1$+ #1$ 0/%'2 ?2#1$:#+ #1$
=
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0/%) #2% '-%+0#0'41+ 4- (#2?%2 +)+0%&'" 2#"'#( 4::2%++'41 EQ4(42U#14
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:,5('" '?142#1"% 2%?#2$'1? 0/% $'>%2+'0) 4- 0/% !+'#1 !&%2'"#1 "4&&,=
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Interest Divergence:When Universities Benefit and Asian Americans Lose
O/%+% 1,#1"%+ 9'0/'1 0/% !+'#1 !&%2'"#1 +0,$%10 :4:,(#0'41 #2%
4-0%1 4>%2(448%$ 5%"#,+% "2'0'"#( ++ '+ "4&&41() #++%++%$ 0/24,?/
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'1 /'?/%2 %$,"#0'41C 0/% >'%9 0/#0 !+'#1 !&%2'"#1+ /#>% #"/'%>%$ =
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'+&C ",22'",(,&C #1$ "4=",22'",(#2 #"0'>'0'%+C # "#&:,+ 2%:420 -4,1$ 0/%
8/9/2019 Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in
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Interest Convergence 53
-%%('1? 4- ?'1#('0)6 O/'+ 4"",2+ #0 #(( (%>%(+ 4- -#",(0)C +0,$%10+ #1$
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4- +0,$%10+ 4- "4(426
T#%U ELMMNI "410%1$+ 0/#0 0/% :'0-#(( 4- ?'>'1? ,1"2'0'"#( #,0/42'0)
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54 The Journal of Higher Education
Expanding Definitions and Assessments of Critical Mass:
A Case Bolstered by Asian AmericansO/% +0#0,+ Z,4 4- !+'#1 !&%2'"#1 %124((&%10 '1 +%(%"0'>% /'?/%2
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8/9/2019 Interest Convergence or Divergence?: A Critical Race Analysis of Asian Americans, Meritocracy, and Critical Mass in
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Interest Convergence 55
1#( ?4#( 4- "2'0'"#( ++V 04 #((%>'#0% ?'1#('U#0'41 #1$ 048%1'U#0'41
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56 The Journal of Higher Education
0,0'41+ '104 '1"(,+'>% (%#21'1? %1>'241&%10+ 0/#0 +,::420 #(( +0,$%10+6
O/,+C 9% "/#((%1?% '1+0'0,0'41+ 04 2%0/'18 0/%'2 ,1$%2+0#1$'1? 4- "2'0'"#(
Conclusion
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Interest Convergence 57
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58 The Journal of Higher Education
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Interest Convergence 59
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Interest Convergence 61
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Interest Convergence 63
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