Political engagement among Asian Australians

Abstract

Research on migrant incorporation and political engagement in Australia has often focused on visible forms of participation such as voting, protests, advocacy, and civic engagement, but less attention is paid to the less visible – or even invisible – aspects of the adjustment by new and would-be citizens (as well as those without such a pathway) to their new society. By focusing on the variegated experiences of Chinese international students, Korean Australians, and Indian Australians, this panel examines how political consciousness, participation, as well as nonparticipation, are shaped by migrants’ perceptions of entitlement, efficacy, belonging, and institutional accessibility in contemporary Australia. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative research across three distinct communities, the papers in this panel highlight how political engagement is mediated by social position, migration status, and experiences of inclusion and exclusion. Among Chinese international students, Pan and Chen argue that everyday encounters concerning safety, visibility, and risk function as sites of mundane political socialisation, which produces forms of contingent nonparticipation grounded in calculations about vulnerability, visa precarity, racialised backlash, and the uncertain efficacy of collective action. Among Korean Australians, Hundt shows, a state of political disengagement which is sometimes depicted as apathy can and should be interpreted as a sense of disempowerment. Despite substantial interest in politics, many Koreans report lacking the resources, confidence, or opportunities necessary for meaningful participation in an increasingly polarised political environment. For Indian Australians, Dhanji argues, political incorporation is closely linked to understandings of Australia’s political institutions and democratic processes. As one of the country’s fastest-growing migrant communities, Indian Australians’ civic engagement and sense of belonging are shaped by their capacity to navigate and make sense of unfamiliar political structures. Taken together, these studies challenge conventional distinctions between engaged and disengaged citizens by demonstrating that political agency extends beyond overt participation. A more profitable line of inquiry is to focus on how migrants and/or temporary residents interpret political institutions, evaluate opportunities for action, and negotiate constraints arising from their legal status, social position, and changing political contexts. Such a broader conception of political incorporation recognises political learning, disempowerment, and strategic nonparticipation as important dimensions of democratic life. In so doing, we aim to provide a more nuanced understanding of how migrant communities experience, understand, and engage with Australian democracy – and, in turn, how response that society is to its newest and would-be citizens.