Caught in the Middle - Korean Communities in New York And Los Angeles (Paperback, New)

This text investigates the racial dynamics that exist between Korean merchants, the African American community, and white society in general. Focusing on hostility toward Korean merchants in New York and Los Angeles, the book shows how the "middle-man" economic role which Koreans often occupy, between low-income, minority customers on the one hand and large corporate suppliers on the other, leads to conflict with other groups. Further, the book shows how ethnic conflicts strengthen ties within Korean communities as Koreans organize to protect themselves and their businesses. The book scrutinizes the targeting of Korean businesses during the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the 1990 African American boycotts of Korean stores in Brooklyn. it explores Korean merchants' relationships with each other as well as with Latin American employees, Jewish suppliers and landlords, and government agencies. In each case, the book's analysis reveals how Korean communities respond to general scapegoating through collective action, political mobilization and other strategies.