The Role of Korean Church in Korean American Youth’s Cultural and Linguistic Identity Development

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Literacies of Care, Culture, and Community

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores how Korean American youth engage with Korean language and culture in a Midwest Korean church and how such engagement influences their cultural and linguistic identity development. Drawing on theories of identity, interview data from two Korean American youth were transcribed and analyzed to examine how the church serves as a site for identity formation. Findings show that the youth navigate dual identities and shape a distinct Korean American identity across contexts. The church fosters their development by providing cultural activities, Korean language use, and familial-like relationships. This study highlights the significant role of religious spaces in supporting the cultural and linguistic identities of Korean American youth within broader educational and social integration processes.

Author

• Hye-In Yang, Michigan State University