Diem-My Bui

This solo performance text visits an experience of a Vietnamese American woman reclaiming voice. The text situates itself in the racial and ethnic dis-course on identity, particularly assumptions on sexual and feminine iden-tity. The text brings the Vietnamese American female body to a site for criti-cal examination of these discourses. CHARACTERS, both performed by one Asian American female Me...................An Asian American woman in college White Male...........A White male college student Stage setup: One podium, center stage, facing audience. One folding chair next to podium. The scene begins with the performer sitting in chair facing audience. Read: (The scene is a packed college lecture room tn a 5mall Midwe5t liberalarts college where a few hun-dred students, faculty and the administration lawyer are congregating. [The performer gestures toward the audience to indicate where the students, faculty, and lawyer are positioned.] The year is 1996. I am at apodium. I am one oft...

This article examines how figurations of Vietnamese women in the popular US imagination played significant roles in explaining, justifying, criticizing, or creating sympathy for US involvement in the war in Viet Nam. Bui looks to the clashes between Madame Nhu's efforts to manage her public persona with Orientalist discourses in circulation about this “dragon lady,” in both prowar and antiwar considerations.

... has been emotionally and physically draining for all of the minorities we can't suppress our feelings. ... [Turns to face audience, arms folding across chest.] Me: [Turning toward left, facing slightly upward ... A legend in Vietnam says that the Vietnamese are descended from dragons. ...

We thank the following reviewers who rendered extraordinary service to Qualitative Inquiry, Volume 12. ... Qualitative Inquiry Volume 12 Number 6 December 2006 1283-1284 © 2006 Sage Publications http://qix.sagepub.com hosted at http://online.sagepub.com ... Peter Adler Susan Matoba Adler Bryant Keith Alexander David Altheide Lonnie Athens Jillian Baez Carl Bagley Ronald J. Berger Leslie R. Bloom Kurt Borchard Edward Bruner Mary Beth Cancienne Dennis L. Carlson Lisa J. Cary Kathy C. Charmaz Susan E. Chase Devika Chawla Adele E. Clarke Dan Cook ...