The Battle for Belonging

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing voting bloc in the United States, with AAPI turnout hitting a record high in the 2020 elections. Yet, as a political cohort, they are also remarkably complex and diverse, encompassing a number of ethno-racial groups with different languages, religions, and cultures. How, exactly, can we define Asian America? And what insight can we discern from their politics? In The Battle for Belonging, Andrew L. Aoki, James S. Lai, and Okiyoshi Takeda provide the first comprehensive, up-to-date textbook in over a decade that guides readers through the key political issues, beliefs, and activism that shape the lives of Asian Americans today. Beginning with the first large waves of immigrants, the authors show Asians in America have fought for equal treatment and opportunity, struggling against individual prejudices and systemic discrimination. While this battle for belonging has been a constant, Asian America has changed greatly. The authors look at how the growing diversity has contributed to a wider range of views, and how the changing circumstances of Asian immigrants has helped drive new forms of political engagement. No longer clustered in inner-city areas, Asian Americans today are often concentrated in suburban cities, mobilizing through online platforms that can be overlooked by more traditional political organizing. Timely topics include the social media activism of unnaturalized Asian American youth; the role that Asian American community-based organizations play as key political actors; the strategies employed by Asian American political campaigns and office-holders; and recent coalition-building with other people of color, including Black and Indigenous communities. Ultimately, Aoki, Lai, and Takeda provide much-needed, contemporary insight into the changing political identity and actions of Asian Americans.