Asian American Youth Culture: The Cyber Cafe Obsession and the Construction of Ethnic Identities.

In urbanized suburbs where there are limited alternative recreational spaces or activities for youth, cyber cafés are attracting elementary to college age Asian American youths. Located in mini malls or strip malls, they have become the fastest-growing businesses in Asian ethnic enclaves, particularly Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese ones in southern California. These sites have become a social gathering place where youth, using the latest in interactive networking technology, can compete in computer games with individuals next to them or in another café. In this paper, we discuss the development of the cyber café culture in ethnic communities and analyze its attraction for Asian American youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]