Jeannie N Shinozuka Knihy

This rich and eye-opening history explores the mutual constitution of race and species in modern America. In the late nineteenth century, the influx of transpacific plants, insects, and peoples sparked fears of a "biological yellow peril," particularly as nursery stock from Japan met the growing demand for exotic goods in the U.S. Over the next fifty years, these exchanges reshaped notions of race and migration, played a crucial role in the establishment of the U.S. empire, and influenced various scientific fields, including horticulture and entomology. Jeannie N. Shinozuka reveals how biological nativism fueled American imperialism and spurred enduring anti-Asian racism. The biotic exchanges not only impacted Japanese Americans but transformed American society as a whole. A modern fixation on foreign species contributed to anti-immigration sentiments in the early twentieth century, creating a framework that categorized groups as bio-invasions to be controlled or eradicated. By emphasizing these connections, Shinozuka illustrates that the narrative extends beyond humans; the plants and animals involved were integral to Japanese American and Asian American history. The rise of economic entomology and plant pathology, alongside public health and anti-immigration movements, highlights the intertwined histories of xenophobia, racism, and species invasions.