Negotiating Racialized Discourses and Navigating Racism in U.S. Schools: Understanding Chinese Immigrants’ Parenting Identities and Practices Through an AsianCrit Lens

Abstract

This article draws on Asian Critical Theory (AsianCrit) and racial literacy to examine how Chinese immigrant parents in one U.S. metropolitan area negotiated their parenting identity, and how they addressed racism faced by their children at school. Our analysis of interview data indicated that while some parents internalized “Tiger Mom” and model minority discourses and focused exclusively on their children's academic success, others countered such discourses to value their children's emotional and mental well-being. Parents adopted a range of strategies to navigate racism and to counter or reframe racialized discourses. This study highlights the importance of developing racial literacy among immigrant parents and institutional responses from schoools to address issues of racism and discrimination.