Your English is So Good! Discrimination and Microaggressions in Asian America

• In Event: Multiple Perspectives on Asian Pacific American Politics

Abstract

This project examines the role of racial microaggressions and discrimination on Asian
American identity attachment and political behavior. Despite coming from diverse backgrounds,
Asian Americans are thought to be a homogeneous group. This leads out-groups to view and
stereotype Asian Americans the same way despite differences in national-origin and culture. This
includes beliefs that Asian Americans are the model minority and that Asian Americans are
perpetual foreigners. What effect do these experiences with stereotyping (in the form of
microaggressions) and discrimination have on Asian American political behavior? While
discrimination has been found to lead minorities to be more likely to vote, this link has been
understudied for Asian Americans. I examine how racial microaggressions and discrimination
influence Asian American identity attachment and political behavior. Using a survey experiment, I explore how the model minority and forever foreigner stereotypes influence Asian American's perceptions of group attachment and sense of political efficacy. I find that the forever foreigner frame leads Asian Americans to be more likely to be politically active on behalf of Asian Americans while the model minority frame has mixed results.

Author

• Vivien Leung, Bucknell University