Data infrastructures created through hate crimes legislation bolsters the carceral state
This commentary piece reflects on recent instances of anti-Asian violence and state responses to redress violence through data-driven strategies. Data collection often presents itself as an appealing strategy, due to impacted communities’ desires for evidence and metrics to substantiate political claims. Yet, data collection can bolster the carceral state. This commentary takes an antagonistic approach to policing, including the ongoing creation of data infrastructures by—and for—law enforcement through hate crimes legislation. We critically discuss the challenges and possibilities in building towards anti-carceral responses amidst ongoing racial violence and crisis.
What does it mean to be Asian? And what does it mean to do Asian American collective politics?
This article examines the tensions, communal processes, and narrative frameworks behind producing collective racial politics across differences. As digital media objects, the Asian American Feminist Collective’s zine Asian American Feminist Antibodies: Care in the Time of Coronavirus and corresponding #FeministAntibodies Tweetchat responds directly to and anticipates a social media and information environment that has racialized COVID-19 in the language of Asian-ness. Writing from an autoethnographical perspective and using collaborative methods of qualitative discourse analysis as feminist scholars, media-makers, and interlocuters, this article looks toward the technological infrastructures, social economies, and material forms of Asian American digital media-making in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For those attempting research within Asian American communities and/or a organizations hoping to leverage digital technologies for political mobilization - this research is for you
This survey assesses the landscape of Asian American and Pacific Islander politics in relation to contemporary social movements and digital technologies. We asked respondents how they use technology as a place for political community and organizing and explored the role of technologies in shaping racial politics. The aim of this survey has been to identify new ways for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to organize online. We are committed to developing racial and class consciousness amongst Asian Americans and also leveraging the technological tools necessary to do this work. We hope this research and data will be useful to academics seeking to do community research within Asian American communities as well as for grassroots and nonprofit organizations seeking to leverage digital technologies in political mobilization.