Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era
The passing of General Vang Pao (GVP) in a hospital in Clovis, California, in 2011 ended an historical era for Hmong Americans and the larger Hmong diaspora. This historical essay explores the changing meanings of leadership and unity for Hmong Americans in the post-GVP era. It first uses sociologis...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Hmong Studies Journal
2015-12-01
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| Series: | Hmong Studies Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.hmongstudiesjournal.org/uploads/4/5/8/7/4587788/vangandheinhsj16.pdf |
| _version_ | 1828071815268794368 |
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| author | Nengher N. Vang Jeremy Hein |
| author_facet | Nengher N. Vang Jeremy Hein |
| author_sort | Nengher N. Vang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The passing of General Vang Pao (GVP) in a hospital in Clovis, California, in 2011 ended an historical era for Hmong Americans and the larger Hmong diaspora. This historical essay explores the changing meanings of leadership and unity for Hmong Americans in the post-GVP era. It first uses sociologist Max Weber's leadership criteria (rational, charismatic, and traditional authority) to explain Vang Pao’s enormous influence on the Hmong in Laos and as refugees in the Hmong diaspora. The essay then reviews current sources of rational, charismatic, and traditional leadership in Hmong American communities: electoral politics, non-profit organizations, religion, and clans. The essay concludes that it is unlikely that a large segment of Hmong Americans will ever again coalesce around one leader. Instead, two new political orientations may
become more prevalent as the Hmong reconsider their place in the world: one that favors the local over the national, and another which favors transnationalism rather than the quest for their own nation-state.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:59:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1c4608089ecb4726b821998b7861f7e9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1091-1774 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:59:28Z |
| publishDate | 2015-12-01 |
| publisher | Hmong Studies Journal |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hmong Studies Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c4608089ecb4726b821998b7861f7e92023-01-04T17:01:20ZengHmong Studies JournalHmong Studies Journal1091-17742015-12-01161118Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao EraNengher N. VangJeremy HeinThe passing of General Vang Pao (GVP) in a hospital in Clovis, California, in 2011 ended an historical era for Hmong Americans and the larger Hmong diaspora. This historical essay explores the changing meanings of leadership and unity for Hmong Americans in the post-GVP era. It first uses sociologist Max Weber's leadership criteria (rational, charismatic, and traditional authority) to explain Vang Pao’s enormous influence on the Hmong in Laos and as refugees in the Hmong diaspora. The essay then reviews current sources of rational, charismatic, and traditional leadership in Hmong American communities: electoral politics, non-profit organizations, religion, and clans. The essay concludes that it is unlikely that a large segment of Hmong Americans will ever again coalesce around one leader. Instead, two new political orientations may become more prevalent as the Hmong reconsider their place in the world: one that favors the local over the national, and another which favors transnationalism rather than the quest for their own nation-state. https://www.hmongstudiesjournal.org/uploads/4/5/8/7/4587788/vangandheinhsj16.pdfhmongleadershippoliticsgeneral vang pao |
| spellingShingle | Nengher N. Vang Jeremy Hein Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era Hmong Studies Journal hmong leadership politics general vang pao |
| title | Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era |
| title_full | Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era |
| title_fullStr | Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era |
| title_short | Hmong American Leadership and Unity in the Post-Vang Pao Era |
| title_sort | hmong american leadership and unity in the post vang pao era |
| topic | hmong leadership politics general vang pao |
| url | https://www.hmongstudiesjournal.org/uploads/4/5/8/7/4587788/vangandheinhsj16.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nenghernvang hmongamericanleadershipandunityinthepostvangpaoera AT jeremyhein hmongamericanleadershipandunityinthepostvangpaoera |