Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Reilly, jack

Area of Concentration

Political Science

Abstract

This study considers the development of Asian Americans as political actors and surveys the legal, institutional, and cultural dynamics that enhance or discourage participation in government. Much of this review is devoted to the influence of community on political incorporation, arguing the importance of studying Asians as social beings rather than isolated actors. The 2008 National Asian American Survey is used to interrogate the effects of community connectedness on non-voting and voting behaviors. The results show that the rate of Asian participation in American politics decreases as sense of commonality with co-ethnics increases. Additionally, cultural integration and social activity are positively correlated with increases in political activity. In conclusion, attachment to community is potentially consequential to the project of Asian American political incorporation, and future work would do well to account for the effects of socialization and network isolation on promoting or suppressing political activity.

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