The Battle for Belonging

“The Battle for Belonging is a comprehensive text that covers key concepts and academic theories with the most up-to-date research on the politics of Asian Americans. It fills a much needed void by connecting together ideas from fields ranging from political science, ethnic studies, Asian American studies and history into a straightforward and approachable discussion useful for both new and seasoned followers of Asian American politics. We learn from this book of the many Asian Americans contributions to American democratic practice as they ‘battle for belonging’ in the United States. These lessons help us work through the ideals of governance and also help us to answer the question of what it means to be American.”– “Natalie Masuoka, author of Multiracial Identity and Racial Politics in the United States”
“Written by three of the most accomplished senior scholars in the field, The Battle for Belonging offers a comprehensive treatment of Asian American politics, applying insights gained over the past five decades, from Don Nakanishi’s earliest work in the 1970s to recent contributions by the field’s newest scholars. In this profoundly important book, the history of Asian migration, incorporation, and marginalization frames a sophisticated analysis of contemporary Asian American political engagement, office-holding, and future prospects. Key concepts of panethnicity, transnationalism, community mobilization, socialization, socioeconomic status, and empowerment all find their place in a sweeping, elegant analysis. The authors have long been proponents of the scholarly tradition known as Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (REP), sharing perspectives with the study of Indigenous, Black, and Latino politics, and they have located Asian American politics squarely within the broader context of multiracial America. The final chapter, “The Future of Asian American Politics” thus includes discussion of what may be the key question confronting the community: Will the trajectory of Asian American politics continue toward greater panethnic cooperation, or toward fragmentation and for some, ambitious proximity to whiteness, or to deeper engagement and alliance with other communities of color? For this and other critical questions, there is no better starting point, for anyone interested in Asian American politics, than this masterful new book.“– “Tony Affigne, co-Editor, Latino Politics en Ciencia Política”

Andrew L. Aoki is Professor in the Department of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies at Augsburg University, and co-author of Newcomers, Outsiders, and Insiders: Immigrants and American Racial Politics in the Early Twenty-First Century.

James S. Lai is a Professor in the Ethnic Studies Department with a courtesy appointment in the Political Science Department at Santa Clara University. He is the author of Asian American Connective Action in the Age of Social Media: Civic Engagement, Contested Issues, and Emerging Identities, Asian American Political Action: Suburban Transformations, and co-editor of Asian American Politics: Law, Policy, and Participation.

Okiyoshi Takeda is Professor in the School of International Politics, Economics, and Communication at Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, and author of Asian American Politics.

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