Narrative Approaches to Exposing the Racialized Experiences of Asian American Male Students

Research focusing on the racialized experiences of Asian American students has been a recent development in the field of education. Studies have shown that Asian American students indicate higher frequencies of discrimination and bias on college campuses in forms of racial microaggressions that make them feel unequal, unwelcomed, and discriminated against. This chapter describes the narrative approaches of research used to reveal the racial microaggressions experienced by four male and one gender non-conforming Asian Americans and the possible impact on their student success. Using a framework consisting of qualitative method, narrative inquiry, critical race theory, and counter-storytelling, this study uncovered the stereotypical images of the Model Minority Myth, the perpetual foreigner, the homogenous race, and cultural assumptions placed on the Asian American students. Findings show the complexity of Asian American identity, the continuous navigation of racial climates by Asian American students, and the reality that these students encounter racial microaggressions even at their place of higher learning.