From Political Learning to Partisan Leanings

• In Event: Asian American Political Behavior: Diverse Communities and Methodologies

Abstract

This book manuscript explains one of the most transformative but puzzling trends in contemporary American politics, the increasingly strong support for the Democratic Party over the past thirty years and recent movement towards Republicans among Asian Americans, a diverse pan-ethnic constituency. It does so by analyzing how Asian Americans — the fastest growing racial group in the United States — learn about American politics and develop partisan views. In contrast to existing theories rooted in social exclusion, familial influence, and recruitment by political parties, the book advances a new explanation that emphasizes the crucial role of peer influence, an account that I call “social transmission.” The theory of social transmission contends that Asian Americans acquire partisan views through the communication of political cues from peer groups in their local communities. Drawing on a range of qualitative and quantitative evidence, including national surveys of Asian Americans, in-depth interviews with Asian American citizens in Houston, Texas, a panel survey of college students, and original survey experiments, I test social transmission alongside alternative explanations and show that peers shape Asian Americans’ partisan preferences, leading to strong support for the Democratic Party in recent elections. Where possible, I also consider the extent to which these explanations apply across diverse national origin subgroups within the Asian American community. By explaining the puzzle of Asian Americans’ partisan preferences and identifying a new pathway of political learning among minority groups, this book has important implications for understanding political behavior in immigrant communities and the future of American electoral politics.

Author

• Tanika Raychaudhuri, Rice University