Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Educational institutions and immigrant businesses are some of the physical and symbolic spaces associated with Asian Americans. This panel examines how American society and American laws have shaped, constrained, and policed these spaces, often through mechanisms of exclusion, neglect, or surveillance. Projecting these spaces into education access and COVID-inspired hate crimes, the panel explores today’s social debates and legal frameworks that govern Asian American presence and participation in public life. Building on the foundational insights of theorists such as Neil Gotanda, Frank Wu, Jerry Kang, Gabriel Chin, Claire Jean Kim and Robert Chang, the panelists apply these perspectives to contemporary legal controversies, illuminating the intersection of race, space, and law for Asian Americans.
•Elaine M. Chiu, Professor of Law, St. John’s University School of Law
•Chris M. Kwok, Community Organizer and Adjunct Professor, Hunter College (CUNY), UCLA Law JD ‘00
•Phil Lee, Professor of Law, St. John’s University School of Law
•Dr. Vivian Louie, Professor of Urban Policy & Planning, Hunter College (CUNY)
Educational institutions and immigrant businesses are some of the physical and symbolic spaces associated with Asian Americans. This panel examines how American society and American laws have shaped, constrained, and policed these spaces, often through mechanisms of exclusion, neglect, or surveillance. Projecting these spaces into education access and COVID-inspired hate crimes, the panel explores today’s social debates and legal frameworks that govern Asian American presence and participation in public life. Building on the foundational insights of theorists such as Neil Gotanda, Frank Wu, Jerry Kang, Gabriel Chin, Claire Jean Kim and Robert Chang, the panelists apply these perspectives to contemporary legal controversies, illuminating the intersection of race, space, and law for Asian Americans.
•Elaine M. Chiu, Professor of Law, St. John’s University School of Law
•Chris M. Kwok, Community Organizer and Adjunct Professor, Hunter College (CUNY), UCLA Law JD ‘00
•Phil Lee, Professor of Law, St. John’s University School of Law
•Dr. Vivian Louie, Professor of Urban Policy & Planning, Hunter College (CUNY)
