‘Hidden in My lunch box’: Chinese American heritage language learners’ racialized and embodied identities

Abstract

Pairing affect theory with raciolinguistic perspectives, this study examines the racialized and embodied identities of second-generation Chinese American heritage language learners. Drawing on the data collected through in-depth interviews, the study observes that second-generation Chinese Americans’ affective experiences, such as their racialized and embodied encounters with food, fashion, accent, and physical appearance, play a crucial role in shaping their identities. These individuals reported a mix of both heritage and American identities, which stemmed from their embodied exposure to languages and cultures. While they originally felt pressured to assimilate to the dominant culture, the Chinese American individuals reported that their heritage identities evolved over time as they began to counter raciolinguistic ideologies through reflecting on their embodied and racialized experience. This study raises a number of pedagogical issues regarding second-generation heritage language learners and discusses ways to develop antiracist pedagogy in the context of heritage language education.