A Critical Review of Chinese American Politicized Collective Identity and Political Engagement: 1850s to 2020s

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Civic Engagement and Civic Identity With Asian and Asian American Communities (Table 9)

Abstract

Given the current political polarization within Asian American communities and the evolving U.S. relations with Asian countries, this proposal undertakes a critical review of academic literature concerning Chinese American communities’ politicized collective identities and political engagement during significant geopolitical moments from the mid-19th century to the present. Acknowledging the increasing politicization of Chinese identity, I use the term “Chinese” to refer to Americans who are ethnically Chinese, including individuals from Hong Kong and Taiwan, to highlight the intra-ethnic diversity and tensions. The findings reveal how the broader sociopolitical context has both informed and constrained Chinese American communities’ politicized collective identities and political engagement, and indicate a trend of bifurcation among Chinese American communities. Implications for educational practices are discussed.

Author

• Yubing Liu, University of Wisconsin - Madison