CUNY FORUM Volume 12:1

March 4, 2026March 4, 2026 By AAARI

CUNY FORUM Volume 12:1 commemorates five decades since the Fall of Sài Gòn and the Vietnamese refugee diaspora—one of the largest forced migration movements of the 20th century. This issue brings together leading scholars, artists, and community voices to explore the lasting impacts of the Việt Nam War, refugee resettlement, and Vietnamese American community formation. Contributors include distinguished scholars Yến Lê Espiritu (UC San Diego), Franklin Ng (Cal State Fresno), Peter Nien-chu Kiang (UMass Boston), Pawan Dhingra (Amherst College), and others.

“Fifty years after the Fall of Sài Gòn, these stories continue to resonate with urgent contemporary relevance as we face new waves of displacement and debates over refugee admissions,” said Russell C. Leong, Editor-in-Chief of CUNY FORUM.

Featured Content

Personal narratives by Yến Lê Espiritu examining militarism, displacement, and U.S. refugee policy
Critical scholarship on Vietnamese American experiences, LGBTQ+ Asian American archives, teaching Southeast Asian American history, and trans-Pacific Cantonese American heritage
Creative works including poetry by Sơn Ca Lâm and visual art profiles of Anthony Lê
Historical analysis featuring an interview with S. Floyd Mori on the JACL’s historic apology to WWII resisters
Comprehensive digital resources guide by Tam Nguyễn documenting Vietnamese refugee archives globally

Published as the U.S. faces renewed debates over refugee admissions, this issue offers essential historical context connecting the 1980 Refugee Act—shaped by the Vietnamese refugee crisis—to current immigration policy debates.

Purchase Information
CUNY FORUM Volume 12:1 (ISSN 2329-1125, 156 pages, $15). Bulk discounts are also available for schools and libraries.

Online Preview: Vol 12:1

Table of Contents
Note: Select essays are available in their entirety.

“The Past is Prologue”: Fifty Years after the Fall of Sài Gòn
Russell C. Leong

Asian American Studies after Fifty Years
Antony Wong

I – Re-generations and Re-tellings

Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the Fall of Sài Gòn
Yến Lê Espiritu

Fifty Years of Teaching and Learning About Southeast Asians in America
Franklin Ng

Making Forever Spring
Đức Nguyễn

Boston Anti-Asian Violence: Re-Manifesting Anh Mai’s Legacy
Peter Nien-chu Kiang 江念祖

Biên | Biển | Biển: Out of (Im)Possible Places
Sơn Ca Lâm

The Pacifier
Khanh Ho

Author Bio

AAARI