C.N. Le

Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Director of the Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate Program | University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA, UNITED STATES

C.N. Le discusses racial/ethnic relations in the U.S. and immigration and socio-demographic outcomes among Asian Americans.

Expertise (3)

Racial & Ethnic Relations

Asian-American Immigration

Asian American Issues

Biography

C.N. Le is frequently called on to discuss research focusing on racial/ethnic relations in the U.S., immigration and comparisons of socio-demographic outcomes among different Asian American groups, such as small business ownership, characteristics of ethnic enclaves and interracial and interethnic marriage. Le runs the website Asian-Nation: "an authoritative, one-stop information resource and sociological exploration of the historical, demographic, political, and cultural issues that make up today's diverse Asian American community."

Education (2)

University at Albany: Ph.D., Sociology

University of California, Irvine: B.A., Political Science

Links (3)

Select Recent Media Coverage (4)

Sticky rice meets Southern hospitality at Buddhist temple festivals

The Washington Post print

2023-05-08

C.N. Le, the director of the Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said job opportunities, more affordable real estate, a lower cost of living and more are driving Southeast Asian immigrants to relocate to the South from “traditional gateway destinations” such as Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

Small organizations, big impact: Asians in Massachusetts gather for critical support in community groups following Atlanta shootings

MassLive online

2021-03-24

“Massachusetts has a reputation for being very liberal and progressive,” said C.N. Le, director of Asian & Asian American studies program and senior lecturer of sociology at UMass Amherst. “That’s true to a certain extent, but I would say that the same kinds of stereotypes and prejudices and generalizations about Asian Americans that have existed all across the nation also exist here.”

Groups, leaders denounce swell of anti-Asian hate

Daily Hampshire Gazette print

2021-03-21

The lack of help from the federal government in addressing the growing issue, especially under former president Donald Trump, is also to blame, says C.N. Le, director of the Asian and Asian American Studies program and senior lecturer of sociology at the University of Massachusetts. “The previous president repeatedly referred to the pandemic as the ‘China virus’ or ‘kung flu’ and, in the process, blamed an entire country and people, reinforced ‘Yellow Peril’ stereotypes and ultimately condoned and even encouraged hostility against not only Chinese, but millions of Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. and globally,” Le said.

Facing criticism, Westminster Mayor Tri Ta proposes resolution condemning ‘abettors’ of communism

Orange County Register print

2019-09-10

C.N. Le, director of the Asian studies program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, called the resolution’s wording “reminiscent of language heard during the Cold War and McCarthyism ... The simple majority is using that language as a vehicle to silence the so-called troublemakers,” said Le, who grew up in La Habra and later lived in Westminster.

Select Publications (3)

Asian American mothers confront multiple crises of pandemic, anti-Asian hate and caregiving

The Conversation

Miliann Kang and C.N. Le

2022-03-25

"In addition to being exposed to risks at their workplaces, Asian American women who care for children and elders are especially vulnerable to anti-Asian violence. As sociologists and scholars of gender, race, immigration and Asian American studies, we focus on the particular challenges facing Asian American mothers."

"Glimpses into the Future: Interracial and Interethnic Marriage" (Book chapter)

Asian Pacific American Experiences Past, Present, and Future

edited by Eunai Kim Shrake, Teresa Williams Leon, and Edith Wen-Chu Chen

2020-04-01

Crazy Rich Asians - Book & Movie Review

Sociological Forum

C.N. Le and Miliann Kang

2019-03-08

Book and movie review