Dual Functions of the Korean Ethnic Church: Navigating U.S. Education and Shielding Minoritized Youth

• In Event: Sociology of Education Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 3. Building Civic and Community Engagement in Education

Abstract

Korean ethnic churches and the social, cultural, and institutional contacts linked to them, which I refer to collectively as church community networks (CCNs), function as crucial third places that facilitate both the educational navigation and ethnocultural protection of Korean American families. Through formalized structures like cell group ministries and informal “word-of-mouth” information networks, families access instrumental support relevant to the formal education of children. Simultaneously, the church serves a protective function as a space of refuge for youth who experience social isolation in mainstream school settings due to linguistic or cultural barriers. By providing a space where youth feel a sense of belonging, Korean CCNs support the formation of integrated bicultural identities. This study demonstrates the significance of ethnocultural settings both as sites of robust parental engagement that often supplement or bypass traditional school-based activities and as spaces that mitigate the stresses experienced by minoritized youth due to their marginalized identities.

Author

• Jieun Sung, Boston College