Colonial Displacement
Adopting the customs, values, and identity of the dominant culture while abandoning one's own traditions
What is assimilation?
Jordan hides parts of her Vietnamese identity because revealing them could lead to exclusion and discrimination
What is suppression?
Jordan's inability to understand Vietnamese, recognize traditional dishes, or know her birth name demonstrates the enduring cultural consequences of being removed from her homeland at a young age
What are the effects of colonial displacement?
Jordan learns to imitate upper-class white society in hopes of gaining acceptance and a sense of belonging
What is mimicry?
Viewing Jordan as something that can be bought or taken, rather than as a child with her own culture and family, reflects the same colonial ideology that treats land and people as commodities.
What is colonial mindset?
By constantly being called "exotic" and different, the White people around Jordan encourage this process.
What is othering?
Even after achieving wealth and status, Jordan continues to be treated as an outsider because colonial hierarchies privilege race over social class
What is marginalization?
This form of belonging is never fully guaranteed because it depends entirely on meeting the expectations of the dominant culture rather than being accepted for one's authentic identity.
What is conditional acceptance?