Latinx, Immigrant-Origin Youths' Civic Identify Development in the 2020 Election: Media, Belonging, and Responsibility

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Media Practices and/as Identity Work (Table 23)

Abstract

In a political era marked by anti-immigrant sentiment and racial animosity, we designed the current study to understand how Latinx immigrant-origin young adults’ civic identity develops in such a context. We draw on Atkins and Hart’s (2003) definition of civic identity as an individual’s sense of belonging to and responsibility towards a community. In this qualitative inquiry, we analyzed data from 39 open-ended interviews with Latinx, immigrant-origin young adults regarding civic engagement in the current political context. Insights from our data suggest that in this divisive context, our participants expressed a strong sense of belonging and described efforts to protect their communities. Specifically our participants both consumed and produced media in the interest of safeguarding their Latinx, immigrant-origin communities.

Authors

• Julieta Rico, University of California - Los Angeles

• Kathryn M. Obenchain, Purdue University

• Rebecca M. Callahan, University of Vermont

• Claudia Ochoa, University of Texas-Austin

• Maria de los Angeles Desantos Quezada, University of Texas at Austin