Contact Information
Current Position |
Professor |
Educational Background
- Doctor of Philosophy, Sociology, New York University, 2001
Dissertation: "Manicuring Identities: Race, Gender, and Class in New York City Korean-Owned Nail Salons"
This ethnographic study explores the social construction of race, gender and class in service interactions in ethnic small businesses by examining relations between Korean female owners and workers and their racially diverse customers in New York City nail salons. It describes and analyzes the practices of how language, body, and emotions are managed and how these actions shape identities and inter-group relations in the interpersonal settings of the post-industrial economy. - Master of Arts, Sociology, New York University, New York University, 1996
- Bachelors of Arts, Social Studies, Radcliffe College, Harvard University, 1988
Research Interests
- Social Construction of Race, Gender and Class
- Sociology of the Body
- Emotional Labor and Service Interactions
- Immigrant Women's Work
- Asian American Communities
- Relations between Korean Americans and African Americans
- Ethnography
Courses Taught
Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies, |
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Sociology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA |
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Sociology, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY |
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Sociology, Barnard College, New York, NY |
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Sociology, New York University, New York, NY |
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Publications
- Kang, Miliann. 2020."Reproducing Asian American Studies: Rethinking Asian Exclusion as Reproductive Exclusion" Amerasia Journal 46:2 136-146.
- Currington, Celeste and Miliann Kang. 2020. "Contrasting Scientific Discourses of Skin Lightening in Domestic and Global Contexts” in Oxford Handbook on the Sociology of the Body and Embodiment, edited by Natalie Boero and Kate Mason. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Kang, Miliann, Hye Jun Park, and Juyeon Park. 2019. "Teachers as good mothers, mothers as good teachers: Functional and ideological work–family alignment in the South Korean teaching profession." Gender, Work, and Organization 27:3:395-413.
- Le, C.N. and Miliann Kang. 2019. "Crazy Rich Asians" (Book and Movie review), Sociological Forum 34:2:524-528.
- Kang, Miliann 2019. "Manicures as Transnational Body Labor” in Sharon Heijin Lee, Christina Moon and Thuy Tu (Eds.). Fashion and Beauty in the Time of Asia. New York: NYU Press.
- Kang, Miliann 2018. "Gender, Migration, and Mobility in Korean American Communities: A Case Study of the Nail Salon Industry” in Rachael Joo and Shelley Lee (Eds.). Companion to Korean American Studies. Leiden: Brill. 449-474.
- Kang, Miliann 2017. "Up in the Air: Tracing the Circuits of Transnational Asian and Asian American Mothering” in Catherine Ceniza Choy and Judy Wu (Eds.). Gendering the Trans-Pacific World: Diaspora, Empire and Race. Leiden: Brill. 246-253.
- Kang, Miliann 2014. "Are Second-Generation Korean American Women Tiger Mothers? Strategic, Transnational, and Resistant Responses to Racialized Mothering" in Second-Generation Korean Experiences in the United States and Canada, edited by Pyong Gap Min and Samuel Noh. Lexington Books.
- Kang, Miliann 2014. "Betty Lee Sung," "Glass Ceiling Debate," and "Rose Hum Lee" articles in Asian Americans: An Encyclopedia of Social, Cultural, Economic, and Political History, edited by Xiaojian Zhao and Edward J.W. Park. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing.
- Kang, Miliann. 2013. Book Review of Aloha America: Hula Circuits through the U.S. Empire by Adria L. Imada, Duke University Press. Journal of Asian American Studies, 16:3: 335-38.
- Fisher, Lucy and Miliann Kang. 2013. "Reinventing Dirty Work: Immigrant Women in Nursing Homes," in Immigrant Women Workers in the Neoliberal Age, Nilda Flores-Gonzalez, Anna Romina Guevarra, Maura Toro-Morn, and Grace Chang (Eds.). Champagne-Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
- Kang, Miliann. 2013. "'What Does a Manicure Have to Do With Sex?': Racialised Sexualisation of Body Labor in Routine Beauty Services," in Body/Sex/Work: Intimate, Embodied and Sexualised Labour, Carol Wolkowitz, Rachel Lara Cohen, Teela Sanders, and Kate Hardy (Eds.). London: Palgrave.
- Kang, Miliann. 2010. The Managed Hand: Race, Gender and the Body in Beauty Service Work. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Reviewed by Samantha Kwan in Gender & Society, February 2012, 26:1, pp. 120-123
- Reviewed by Jennifer L. Pierce in Contemporary Sociology, July 2011, 40:4, pp. 413-416
- Reviewed by Adia Harvey Wingfield in American Journal of Sociology, March 2011, 116:5, pp. 1695-1697
- Outstanding Book Award, American Sociological Association, Section on Asia and Asian America
- Oliver Cromwell Cox Award, American Sociological Association, Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities
- Distinguished Book Award, American Sociological Association, Section on Sex and Gender
- Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award, American Sociological Association, Section on Race, Gender, and Class
- Sara Whaley Book Prize, National Women's Studies Association
- Kang, Miliann. 2010. "Manicuring Intimacies: Inequality and Resistance in Asian-Owned Nail Salons," in Intimate Labors: Cultures, Technologies, and the Politics of Care, Eileen Boris and Rhacel Salazar Parrenas (Eds.). Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.
- Kang, Miliann. 2009. Book Review of Free Food For Millionaires by Min Jin Lee, Warner Books. Sociological Forum, Vol. 24, No. 2, June, pp. 464-468.
- Kang, Miliann. 2009. Book Review of Managing Multicultural Lives: Asian American Professionals and the Challenge of Multiple Identities by Pawan Dhingra, Stanford University Press. Contemporary Sociology, 37:4: 342-44.
- Kang, Miliann and Katherine Jones. 2007. "Why Do People Get Tattoos?" Contexts 6:1:42-47.
- Kang, Miliann. 2006. Book Review of Cross-Border Marriages: Gender and Mobility in Transnational Asia by Nicole Constable, University of Pennsylvania Press. Contemporary Sociology, 35:1: 25-26.
- Kang, Miliann. 2005. "Inequality in Domestic Service" in Marybeth C. Stalp and Julie Childers, eds. Teaching Sociological Concepts and the Sociology of Gender, American Sociological Association.
- Kang, Miliann. 2003. "The Managed Hand: The Commercialization of Bodies and Emotions in Korean Immigrant-Owned Nail Salons." Gender and Society 17:820-839.
- Reprinted in Feminist Frontiers VII, edited by Verta Taylor, Nancy Whittier, and Leila Rupp, New York: McGraw-Hill (2006).
- Reprinted in Sociological Odyssey: Contemporary Readings in Introductory Sociology, edited by Peter and Patti Adler, Stamford, CT: Thomson Wadsworth (2007).
- Reprinted in Workplace/Women's Place: An Anthology, edited by Paula J. Dubeck and Dana Dunn, Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (2006).
- Revised and Reprinted as "Korean Immigrant Women's Work in the Nail Salon Industry: Gender, Race and Class in the Service Sector," in Kim, Ilpyong (Ed.). Korean Americans: Past, Present and Future. Elizabeth, NJ: HollyM International (2004).
- Kang, Miliann. 2000. "Researching One's Own: Negotiating Co-Ethnicity in the Field," in Martin Manalansan, Ed. Cultural Compass: Ethnographic Explorations of Asian America, Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Recent Presentations & Invited Talks
- Recent invited talks:
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing China (May 2019)
- Hong Kong Baptist University (May 2019)
- Royal Asiatic Society of Korea, Seoul South Korea (June 2018)
- Yonsei University, Seoul South Korea (June 2018)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (June 2018)
- Sogang University, Seoul South Korea (May 2018)
- University of Indonesia, Selemba Indonesia (May 2018)
- University of Indonesia, Depok Indonesia (May 2018)
- Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (May 2018)
- National Taiwan University, Taipei Taiwan (May 2018)
- National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaoshiung Taiwan (May 2018)
- Seoul National University, Seoul South Korea (Nov. 2017)
- Ewha University, Seoul South Korea (Nov. 2017)
- Dept. of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania (Feb. 2016)
- U.S.-Korea Institute, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University (Feb. 2016)
- Dept. of Sociology, University of Missouri (Oct. 2013)
- Dept. of Women and Gender Studies, Vanderbilt University (Feb. 2013)
- Asian American Studies Program and Dept. of Sociology, Syracuse University (Nov. 2012)
- Queens College and Korean American Community Center, New York, NY (Sept. 2012)
- Dept. of Sociology, New York University (Mar. 2012)
- Dept. of Sociology, Northwestern University (Feb. 2012)
- Dept. of Sociology, Boston University (Feb. 2012)
- Dept. of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley (Nov. 2011)
- Dept. of Sociology, Boston College (Nov. 2011)
- Pacific Rim Institute and Dept. of Sociology, Pomona College (Oct. 2011)
- "The Dumpling Dilemma: Racialized and Gendered Emotion Work by Asian American Mothers" American Sociological Association annual meeting (Aug. 2023, Philadelphia, PA).
- "What is an 'Asian Family'? Theoretical and Methodological Contributions of Asian Family Studies" Beyond the Current Research in Child Development and Family Studies conference at Seoul National University (June 2023, Seoul, South Korea).
- "Re-Ethnicization or Neo-Ethnicization? Asian American Motherhood and the Construction of New Ethnic Identities and Cultures" Newer Generation Asian Youths in North America, Oceania, and Europe: New Patterns of Assimilation, Re-Ethnicization, and Ethnic Homeland conference (May 2023, Osaka Japan).
- "Mothers as Others: Race, Reproductive Exclusion and a New Global Mommy Wars" Association for Asian American Studies annual meeting (April 2023, Long Beach, CA).
- Invited speaker, "Exploring an Intersectional Approach to Violence Against Asian Women" online panel discussion organized by the Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission (Mar. 2022).
- Co-organizer and speaker, "Showing Up with Asian and Asian American Folks: A Community Forum and Dialogue on Building Solidarity" online event collaboratively organized by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst community (April 5, 2021). Her remarks are below:
- "'Because of Society's Respect for Civil Servants': Tradeoffs Between Security and Blocked Mobility in 'Glass Bowl' Public Sector Employment in South Korea" (coauthored with Juyeon Park, C.N. Le, and Sangha Kang-Le), presented by Zoom at the annual meeting of the Association for Asian Studies (Mar. 2021, Seattle, WA).
- "'Likely to become a Public Charge': Race, Disability and Exclusion from 1882 to 2019," Eastern Sociological Society annual meeting (Mar. 2020, Philadelphia PA).
- "Mother Other: Asian American Histories and Legacies of Reproductive Exclusion," American Sociological Association annual meeting (Aug. 2019, New York NY).
- "Comparative Ethnic Studies Approaches to the Racial Politics of Mothering, Families and Reproduction," Association for Asian American Studies annual meeting (April 2019, Madison WI).
- "'When They are Sick, You Stop Worrying About What College They Will Go To': Mothering, Disability and Model Minority Narratives," American Studies Association of Korea annual meeting (Ocrt. 2017, Seoul, South Korea).
- "Challenges and Rewards of International Research: Gender, Work and Family in South Korea," National Council on Family Relations annual meeting (Nov. 2018, San Diego CA).
Presentation at the Intimate Labors Conference, 'Domestic Care and Sex Work' panel (UC Santa Barbara, Oct. 2007).
Selected Grants, Awards, Activities, & Media Quotations
- Interviewed and quoted by NBC News, "Nail technicians demand safer working conditions and steadier pay as Covid aggravates risks" (July 18, 2022).
- Interviewed and quoted by NBC News, "For Asian women, salons are more than a place for pampering — they’re a lifeline" (May 13, 2022).
- Kang, Miliann, and C. N. Le. "Asian American Mothers Confront Multiple Crises of Pandemic, Anti-Asian Hate and Caregiving." The Conversation (March 25, 2022).
- Interviewed and quoted by the Los Angeles Times, ""Atlanta shootings expose outdated Asian American stereotypes — and largest U.S. income gap" (Apr. 2, 2021).
- Interviewed and quoted by Marketplace , "Atlanta shootings show Asian women’s vulnerability in the workplace" (Mar. 24, 2021).
- Author, "Why Are Perpetrators’ Motives Given More Importance Than the Lives They Take?." Ms. Magazine (March 22, 2021).
- Author of the following articles for the Daily Hampshire Gazette:
- "Survival lessons from a crabapple tree" (April 29, 2020).
- "Make Trump Presidency Better than the Man" (Jan 23, 2017).
- "Sorry, But Oscars Apology Doesn’t Cut It" (March 22, 2016).
- Author, "Getting the American Dirt on the Tiger Mother – or What Asian Americans Can Learn From Latinx Writers about Challenging Misrepresentation," Tropics of Meta (April 6, 2020).
- "Women's Mobility: Negotiating Work and Family Spheres in Asia," Worldwide Universities Network (£10,000 / $13,086, 2019-present) (Co-Principal Investigator)
- Interviewed and quoted in two Connecticut Post articles, "State resists nail-care licensing despite pleas from many salons" and "As nail salons multiply, state struggles to control labor abuses" (both Jan. 31, 2019).
- Interviewed and quoted by The Guardian, "South Korea's nascent feminist movement turns to abortion ban" (Nov. 18, 2018).
- Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, Korea, Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts (Research-8093KS) $40,000 award (2017-2018).
- Korea Foundation, "College-Educated Korean Women and the Challenges of Work and Family,” $18,000 award (2017).
- Author of the following articles for the Korea Times:
- "Activists Call for End to Abortion Ban" (July 17, 2018).
- "52-hour week a positive step, but more support needed for working mothers" (July 17, 2018).
- "Jeju Uprising anniversary can shape response to Yemeni refugees" (July 2, 2018).
- "Paralympic Reflections, 1988-2018" (Mar. 23, 2018).
- Author, "An Asian American Mother’s Question to Chris Rock and the Academy." Contexts (March 17, 2016).
- Author, "Deportations Punish Children Most," The Conversation (November 13, 2015). Reprinted at Newsweek.
- Guest author, "Of Nails and Moms: Should I Take My Daughter to Get Her Nails Done?," Huffington Post, MotherWoman Blog (July 10, 2015).
- U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Research Grant, "Gender, Work and Family in South Korea" $5,000 award (2015).
- UMass Amherst Internationalization Grant, "Transnational Asian Feminist Critiques and the Internationalization of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies Curriculum," $5,000 award (2015).
- Interviewed and quoted by Forbes.com, "How Indo-Americans Created The Ultimate Neighborhood Bank" (June 6, 2012).
- Project on "Immigration, Race, and the Future of Work," $3,000 award. Labor Relations and Research Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2009-2010).
- Co-principal investigator, "UMass Amherst/Five College Asian Pacific American Studies" Mellon Mutual Mentoring (M3) Team Grant," $6,110 award from the Office of Faculty Development, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2009-2010).
- Project on "Gender, Migration and Low-Wage Work," $1,250 award. Ford Foundation (2008-2009).
- Co-principal investigator, "UMass Amherst/Five College Asian Pacific American Studies" Mellon Mutual Mentoring (M3) Team Grant," $3,500 award from the Office of Faculty Development, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2008-2009).
- Quoted in "A Stranger's Touch: An Inside Look at the Spa Industry," New York Magazine (November 25, 2007).
- Post-doctoral Fellowship, $30,000 award. American Association of University Women, (2006-2007).
- Lilly Teaching Fellowship, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2005-2006).
- Cheryl Allyn Miller Award for Research on Women and Work, awarded by Sociologists for Women in Society (2000).