The Social Roots of Asian American Partisanship: From Political Learning to Partisan Leanings (Oxford University Press, October 2025)

Description of book:

The Social Roots of Asian American Partisanship explains one of the most transformative but puzzling trends in contemporary American politics, strong support for the Democratic Party coupled with recent movement towards Republicans among Asian Americans. It does so by analyzing how Asian Americans—a diverse pan-ethnic constituency and the fastest growing racial group in the United States—learn about American politics and develop partisan views. In contrast to existing theories rooted in familial influence and social exclusion, the book advances a new explanation that emphasizes the crucial role of peer groups, a theory of “social transmission.” This account contends that Asian Americans acquire partisan views through the communication of political cues from peers in their local communities. It attributes strong support for Democrats among Asian Americans to their patterns of settlement in predominantly liberal metropolitan areas. 

Drawing on a range of quantitative and qualitative evidence, including in-depth interviews, several national surveys of Asian Americans, and original survey experiments, the book tests social transmission alongside alternative explanations and shows that peers shape Asian Americans’ partisan preferences. Where possible, the book also considers the extent to which these explanations apply across diverse 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.