“We’re Social Justice People:” Asian American Youth Resistance and Negotiation of Race, Citizenship, Gender, and Non-Profit Contradictions

This critical qualitative comparative case study explores narratives of resistance of Asian American youth in a social justice-oriented internship. The study draws on resistance theories and expands on the limited body of work on Asian American youth resistance. Drawing primarily on semi-structured interviews, I provide an in-depth representation of three youth’s resistance and the impact that this has on their engagement with social justice. Findings indicate that youth resistance is complex and dynamic, responding to everyday contexts. As such, I focus on young people’s resistance to family narratives of success and assimilation, silences on gender and sexuality, and contradictions of social justice and the limitations of non-profits. I pay particular attention to the role of social justice spaces and an internship program in fostering youth resistance and engaging youth in social justice work – while youth simultaneously notice contradictions and attempt to hold such spaces accountable