Asian American Political Participation

Asian American Political Participation
Author: Janelle S. Wong
Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation
Total Pages: 389
Release: 2011-10-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1610447557

Asian Americans are a small percentage of the U.S. population, but their numbers are steadily rising—from less than a million in 1960 to more than 15 million today. They are also a remarkably diverse population—representing several ethnicities, religions, and languages—and they enjoy higher levels of education and income than any other U.S. racial group. Historically, socioeconomic status has been a reliable predictor of political behavior. So why has this fast-growing American population, which is doing so well economically, been so little engaged in the U.S. political system? Asian American Political Participation is the most comprehensive study to date of Asian American political behavior, including such key measures as voting, political donations, community organizing, and political protests. The book examines why some groups participate while others do not, why certain civic activities are deemed preferable to others, and why Asian socioeconomic advantage has so far not led to increased political clout. Asian American Political Participation is based on data from the authors’ groundbreaking 2008 National Asian American Survey of more than 5,000 Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, and Japanese Americans. The book shows that the motivations for and impediments to political participation are as diverse as the Asian American population. For example, native-born Asians have higher rates of political participation than their immigrant counterparts, particularly recent adult arrivals who were socialized outside of the United States. Protest activity is the exception, which tends to be higher among immigrants who maintain connections abroad and who engaged in such activity in their country of origin. Surprisingly, factors such as living in a new immigrant destination or in a city with an Asian American elected official do not seem to motivate political behavior—neither does ethnic group solidarity. Instead, hate crimes and racial victimization are the factors that most motivate Asian Americans to participate politically. Involvement in non-political activities such as civic and religious groups also bolsters political participation. Even among Asian groups, socioeconomic advantage does not necessarily translate into high levels of political participation. Chinese Americans, for example, have significantly higher levels of educational attainment than Japanese Americans, but Japanese Americans are far more likely to vote and make political contributions. And Vietnamese Americans, with the lowest levels of education and income, vote and engage in protest politics more than any other group. Lawmakers tend to favor the interests of groups who actively engage the political system, and groups who do not participate at high levels are likely to suffer political consequences in the future. Asian American Political Participation demonstrates that understanding Asian political behavior today can have significant repercussions for Asian American political influence tomorrow.

Asian-American Electoral Participation

Asian-American Electoral Participation
Author: John W. Lee
Publisher: Nova Biomedical Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2002
Genre: Asian Americans
ISBN: 9781590335154

In the mid-19th century, Asian-Americans flocked to America and provided cheap immigrant labour. Their numbers grew so high and fast that several restrictive immigration laws were enacted, and were not eased until the mid-20th century. Since that time, Asian-Americans have consistently been cited as one of the fastest growing segments of the population and seem on the cusp of increased political activity and influence. Despite the rise in Asian-American citizens since the 1960s, however, there has not been a corresponding growth of political participation. Voter turnout is low, and the number of Asian-American representatives has lagged. However, Asian-Americans have often been notable political donors and campaign financiers, indicating a behind-the-scenes political influence. As the Asian population increases in the nation, so do the chances of their wielding wider impact on election results and the issues of importance nationally. In order to understand the development of the Asian-American political block, this book discusses the history of Asian immigration and political participation. Using reports based on census data, the patterns of Asian-American behaviour are assessed. No segment of American society can be ignored, and this book is necessary for coming to understand the implications of and history behind the political influence of a significant slice of the American pie.

The Political Participation of Asian Americans

The Political Participation of Asian Americans
Author: Pei-te Lien
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2018-10-24
Genre: History
ISBN: 1317776925

Despite the size and relative prosperity of the Asian American ethnic population, the participation of Asian Americans in electoral politics has been low. This study explores the relationship between ethnic identity and political participation on three levels-between the four major racial/ethnic groups of the American nation, inside the multi-ethnic Asian American population, and within a specific Asian American ethnic group (Koreans). Empirical analysis of surveys dealing with ethnic identity, experience, and voting behavior reveals the complexity of Asian American identities and the importance of both positive and negative experiences in shaping political participation. While, in general, individuals of Asian descent tend to participate less in electoral politics, the political involvement of those with a stronger sense of pan-Asian or specific ethnic identity are more complex. Political participation can be increased by a greater sense of group consciousness and identification of interests with either the panethnic group or a specific ethnic group. Most importantly, the socio-political context shapes the impact of ethnicity on political participation. The experience of Korean Americans in southern California exemplifies this process-Koreans, often victimized by hate crimes, were politicized by the riots following the trial of LAPD officers in the Rodney King incident. The study concludes with a discussion of the meaning of electoral participation and financial contributions for Asian Americans, and of the role of political parties, interest groups, and media in the mobilization of Asian Americans into mainstream politics. (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida, 1995; revised with new preface, and foreword)

Asian American Politics

Asian American Politics
Author: Don T. Nakanishi
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 502
Release: 2003
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780742518506

Table of contents

Making Of Asian America

Making Of Asian America
Author: Pei-Te Lien
Publisher: Temple University Press
Total Pages: 310
Release: 2010-06-17
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1439905436

Asian Americans are widely believed to be passive and compliant participants in the U.S. political process—if they participate at all. In this ground-breaking book, Pei-te Lien maps the actions and strategies of Asian Americans as they negotiate a space in the American political arena. Professor Lien looks at political participation by Asian Americans prior to 1965 and then examines, at both organizational and mass politics levels, how race, ethnicity, and transnationalism help to construct a complex American electorate. She looks not only at rates of participation among Asian Americans as compared with blacks, Latinos, American Indians, and non-Hispanic whites, but also among specific groups of Asian Americans—Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Koreans, Asian Indians, and Vietnamese. She also discusses how gender, socioeconomic class, and place of birth affect political participation. With documentation ranging from historical narrative to opinion survey data, Professor Lien creates a picture of a diverse group of politically active people who are intent on carving out a place for themselves in American political life.

Asian American Politics and Electoral Participation

Asian American Politics and Electoral Participation
Author: Daniel Suluetta
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2015
Genre:
ISBN:

This paper begins with a theoretical discussion and literature review of Asian American politics and participation. It includes a general survey of Asian American population including demographic and geographic information as well as information concerning factors that influence their level political engagement. This paper hypothesizes that Asian Americans with higher levels of community socialization will tend to vote for the Democratic Party while those with lower levels will vote Republican. Furthermore, lower levels of authoritarianism of Asian Americans' ethnic homeland will lead to Asian Americans voting more Democratic, while higher levels of authoritarianism will influence them to vote more Republican. The analysis uses the 2000 Pilot National Asian American Survey as well as Polity IV data reporting information on the level of democracy for all independent states with greater than 500,000 total population. Multiple Regression analysis is performed to determine if the dependent variable, Asian American vote in presidential elections, is influenced by two independent variables: community socialization (or acculturation), which I operationalize as the use of English in the home, and the level of authoritarianism of Asian American's ethnic homeland, which I operationalize as their Polity IV score.

Asian Pacific American Politics

Asian Pacific American Politics
Author: Andrew Aoki
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 371
Release: 2020-06-29
Genre: Art
ISBN: 1000077772

Asian Pacific American Politics presents some of the most recent research on Asian American politics, including both quantitative and qualitative examinations of the role of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in some of today’s major political controversies. In the highly polarized politics of the United States in the early 21st century, non-Black racial minorities such as Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans will increasingly find themselves swept into the epicenter of many of the divisive controversies. This timely volume presents the latest scholarly research on some of these issues, examining questions such as Asian American support for #Black Lives Matter, responses to racially-charged attacks, and the differences in the political socialization, politicization, and community-based activism within and across sectors of the Asian American population. In addition to examining political identity, voting participation, political mobilization, transnational politics, and partisan formation, the volume also investigates important, but little discussed, issues such as the Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement, political incorporation of Filipino Americans, and the struggle to establish "comfort women" memorials in the United States. Contributors also examine, through dialogues, how Asian Americans fit into the larger world of American racial politics, the extent to which they are likely to build coalitions with other communities of color, and the boundaries and contours of Asian American political theory. Exploring and Expanding the Political World Pioneered by Don T. Nakanishi, Asian Pacific American Politics will be of great interest to scholars of race and ethnicity in American politics, immigration and minority incorporation, ethnic identity politics, and political participation and democratic inclusion of Asians. The chapters were originally published in Politics, Groups, and Identities.

East Asian Americans and Political Participation

East Asian Americans and Political Participation
Author: Tsung Chi
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2005-04-25
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1851095071

This expert handbook explores the various means of political participation of East Asian Americans in the United States. Filling a gap in the literature on American minority politics, East Asian Americans and Political Participation offers the first systematic, thorough coverage of the impact of Chinese American, Korean American, and Japanese American individuals and groups on U.S. political process. Focusing on the post–World War II era—when rapidly growing East Asian American communities became more politically involved—the book explores the full range of formal and informal political actions, including protest politics, social movements and interest groups, electoral politics, and political office holding at every level. These general discussions are enhanced with evocative case studies on such important topics as Asian American participation in the civil rights movement, the campaign after the murder of Vincent Chin, the Redress movement, the Korean campaign following the Los Angeles riots, the promotion of the motherland, and more.

The Myth of Political Participation Among Asian Americans

The Myth of Political Participation Among Asian Americans
Author: Tao-Fang Huang
Publisher:
Total Pages: 270
Release: 2012
Genre:
ISBN:

Although Asian Americans have the highest growth rate, their electoral participation does not commensurate with their numerical strength. This research explores the causes of Asian Americans' low level of electoral participation. I argue that acculturation presents barriers for Asian Americans to exert their political power. This project combined a survey-based experiment on and in-depth interviews with Asian Americans in Austin, in addition to existing data (CPS and the PNAAPS). I first estimate the effects of socioeconomic status on turnout across racial and ethnic groups. The results demonstrate that while education and income have limited effects on Asian American turnout at the aggregate level, their positive influence on turnout still holds for Asian Americans at the individual level, though the effect varies by nativity. Furthermore, education and income effects on turnout are greatest among Whites. The differences of these effects between Whites and Asians are especially prominent among the higher socioeconomic stratum. I next find that acculturation experiences, group connectedness, and hybrid identity elevate levels of turnout among Asian Americans. Those who are more residentially stable and sense shared Asian culture are more likely to vote, while the Asian-born are less likely to vote. In addition, experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination are likely to turn Asians away from their American-ness, while shared cultural commonality helps to foster the "Asian American" identity. Last, the experiment results suggest that a lack of ethnic cues for Asian Americans may have contributed to their low turnout rates: Asian American voters value descriptive representation, and ethnic cues effectively operate among them, especially the less politically engaged. While voters' support for a coethnic candidate is evident in the study, the evidence of their cross- or pan-ethnic support is limited. The project provides a window into the political incorporation of immigrant populations. The study speaks to the literature on political participation, racial/ethnic politics and identity politics. In addition, the findings broaden our understanding of minority political behavior, and the process by which immigrant populations incorporate into American political system, a promise of democratic representation.

The Racial Logic of Politics

The Racial Logic of Politics
Author: Thomas P. Kim
Publisher: Temple University Press
Total Pages: 205
Release: 2007
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1592135498

As he systemically studies the barriers that Asian Americans face in the electoral and legislative processes, Thomas Kim shows how racism is embedded in America's two-party political system.Here Kim examines the institutional barriers that Asian Americans face in the electoral and legislative processes. Utilizing approaches from ethnic studies and political science, including rational choice theory, he demonstrates how the political logic of two-party competition actually works against Asian American political interests. According to Kim, political party leaders recognize that Asian Americans are tagged with "ethnic markers" that label them as immutably "foreign," and as such, parties cannot afford to be too closely associated with (racialized) Asian Americans. In publicly repudiating Asian American efforts to gain political power, Kim asserts, party elites are making rational, strategic calculations.Although other commentators have blamed the diversity of the Asian American population for its lack of political success, Kim argues convincingly that race itself is the chief barrier to political participation—and it will not be overcome simply by electing or appointing more Asian Americans to political office.