Political Socialization in the Workplace: Asian-Americans in the Tech Sector

• In Event: Emerging Scholars Roundtable

Abstract

How do foreign workers in the United States become socialized into the American political system? While studies of political socialization largely focus on schools and civic associations, the workplace can serve as an important locus for political socialization, particularly for those who experience limited political socialization in their youth. For immigrants who come to the United States to work, their first sustained interactions with Americans likely occur in the workplace. How does this exposure shape immigrants’ political views and their identity, both as workers and as racial minorities? What are the downstream effects of this socialization on political behavior? Our project investigates the workplace as a site of immigrant political socialization, focusing on Asian-Americans in the technology sector. We are motivated by the outsized role the tech industry plays in contemporary American politics, the relative lack of attention paid to the workplace in studies of political socialization, and the distinctive position of Asian-Americans as the fastest-growing immigrant group in the United States. Using an original survey and in-depth interviews with first generation Asian-Americans working in the tech sector, we explore how interactions with colleagues, exposure to corporate philosophy, and other experiences in the workplace influence views about American politics, the technology sector, and intentions to participate in political activities. The results offer insights on the context and consequences of contemporary immigrant political socialization.

Author

• Claire Ma, University of Pennsylvania