Russel Sage Foundation

Asians and Latinos represent the two fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States, but their participation in formal political processes lags behind their population numbers. While it is true that many are non-citizens, this does not tell the whole story. We know, for example, that Latinos tend to cast their ballots based more on candidates’ positions on specific issues as opposed to party affiliation. Asians are even less likely than blacks or Latinos to have strong party affiliations. The experience of both ethnic groups differs significantly from the experience of African Americans, who organized across class, around race-based issues, and largely support the Democratic party.

With support from the Foundation, political scientists Taeku Lee and Zoltan Hajnal will examine the implications of party identification (and non-identification) for the voting behavior and political participation of Asian Americans and Latinos. They will use data from national surveys specifically focusing on each group to examine the pathways to political engagement for both first and second generation immigrants from several countries. Their analysis will focus on the influence of home country politics, American political experience, organizational ties, political knowledge of the United States, and ethnic identity. They will present their results at academic conferences and draft an article for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.