The Tensions of Representation: A Critical Content Analysis of Recently Published Desi Young Adult Novels

• In Event: Moving Critical Asian American Studies Into the Forefront of K–12 Education

Abstract

In spite of recent efforts to center Asian American stories, South Asian American representations are rarely included in the curriculum and popular tradebooks. This paper describes a critical content analysis of Desi, or South Asian diasporic, American young adult (YA) fiction written by Desi authors, with Desi protagonists, and written between 2005 and 2021 guided by the theoretical lens of Desi Critical Race Theory. Our analysis revealed two Desi American imaginaries: one of racial ambivalence and aspirations for whiteness and another working actively to imagine a collective future of social justice. We explore the implications of these imaginaries and end with recommendations for educators and librarians.

Authors

• Noreen Naseem Rodriguez, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Mohit Mehta, The University of Texas at Austin