Dissertation Defense Announcement Ed.D. Program: Kimberley Deng “From Coolies to ‘China Virus’: A Narrative Inquiry on the Racialized Experiences of Chinese American Students in Higher Education”

Despite more than two centuries since Chinese immigrants first arrived in the United States as “coolies,” or indentured laborers, the issue of Sinophobia remains prevalent. This is evident by the surge of hate crimes and other forms of discrimination throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond, affecting Asian Americans in both academic settings and society at large. Higher education institutions are ill-prepared to manage a safe learning environment for Asian American students. Through a narrative inquiry guided by an Asian Critical Theory (AsianCrit) framework, this study introduces 12 Chinese American participants from Rutgers University–New Brunswick as they share their life stories, racialized experiences, and sources of support. Four thematic findings emerged: (a) racialized experiences, (b) us versus them: distrust of other races, (c) conscious effort to form Asian American connections, and (d) institutional support and identity affirmation. This research contributes to the significant gap in literature regarding the experiences of Asian American students, especially of Chinese Americans.