Religions and Politics of Asian Pacific Americans

Abstract

The 2018 US elections continued the polarization over social and economic issues and the divides among races, geographies, religiosity, and education levels. There is, however, a less obvious dynamic - the increasing politicization of Asian Pacific Americans (APA) - that, in time, may contribute to more civil dialogue and consensus. Though APAs are diverse, a significant percentage are uniquely simultaneously inliberal and conservative camps. Like many liberals, they are urban or suburban, highly educated, and espouse social justice and tolerance. Like many conservatives, they are religious and embrace 'traditional values' (e.g., heterosexual marriage, 'pro-life'). APAs are a growing presence in electoral politics, but, perhaps more importantly, on the nation's campuses, where they interact with liberals, and in churches, where they discourse with conservatives, decreasing the social distance between these polarized groups and contributing to more tolerant, deliberative politics.