Navigating Racial Discrimination and Negotiating Place: A Phenomenological Analysis of Chinese Americans' Conversations With Friends

Abstract

This study adopted a phenomenological perspective to explore the experiences of racial discrimination among second-generation and higher Chinese Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. It focused on how these experiences are grounded in place and co-constructed through conversation with friends. Twelve participants were asked to describe a recent conversation with a friend about racial discrimination. Four themes from their narratives are discussed: Moving Along Perilous City Paths, The Paradox of Visibility and Invisibility, Finding Place Amid Alienation and Shame and Transforming Spaces, Creating Home. Together, these themes form a holistic narrative of how Chinese Americans navigate between homeworld and alienworld. The study concludes with a discussion of its contributions and implications.