The Asian American experience in the federal workforce: How employees navigate the complexities of racialization

Abstract

The Asian American experience in the federal workforce remains poorly understood. This qualitative study, based on interviews with 41 Asian American federal workers, examines how this heterogeneous minority group experiences racialization in the U.S. federal government. The analysis of interview data revealed five aggregate dimensions that shape the experiences of Asian American federal employees: (1) racial identity formation, (2) racialization at work, (3) aspects of the federal government context such as organizational culture and practices, (4) individual strategies to overcome constraints, and (5) awareness of the political climate and social ties outside the work context. By probing how Asian American employees experience racialization and the strategies they adopt in response, this study contributes to a small but growing literature on inclusion and racialization processes beyond the Black-White binary in the U.S. public sector.