Asian Americans and the Spirit of Racial Capitalism

Asian American life requires a new perspective on racism and antiracism that emphasizes racial identity as the function of a particular political economy. Jonathan Tran's research agenda pushes beyond racial identity and proposes reframing antiracism in terms of a theologically salient account of political economy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 05 January 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Asian American life compels us to rethink our approach to racism and antiracism. There are two contemporary perspectives on antiracist theory and practice. The first approach emphasizes racial identity to the detriment of political economy, rendering racialized life in America illegible. This approach has gained widespread prevalence, both in academia and beyond, and has solidified into an established doctrine. The second approach views racial identity as a function of a specific political economy, known as racial capitalism, and thus subordinates racial identity to political economy. Jonathan Tran advocates for this second approach through an in-depth analysis of two case studies: a Chinese migrant settlement in the Mississippi Delta (1868-1969) and the Redeemer Community Church in the Bayview/Hunters Point section of San Francisco (1969-present). While his analysis primarily focuses on specific groups and individuals, it serves as a means to examine more broadly the processes and commitments of racial capitalism at the sites of their structural and systemic unfolding. By expanding his research agenda beyond the confines of racial identity, Tran reclaims trusted modes of analysis that have been obscured by the prevailing antiracist orthodoxy. He proposes reimagining antiracism in terms of a theologically meaningful account of political economy.

Asian American life forces us to rethink our approach to racism and antiracism. There are two contemporary perspectives on antiracist theory and practice. The first approach emphasizes racial identity to the detriment of political economy, rendering racialized life in America illegible. This approach has gained widespread prevalence, both in academia and beyond, and has solidified into an established doctrine. The second approach views racial identity as a function of a specific political economy, known as racial capitalism, and thus subordinates racial identity to political economy. Jonathan Tran advocates for this second approach through an in-depth analysis of two case studies: a Chinese migrant settlement in the Mississippi Delta (1868-1969) and the Redeemer Community Church in the Bayview/Hunters Point section of San Francisco (1969-present). While his analysis primarily focuses on specific groups and individuals, it serves as a means to examine more broadly the processes and commitments of racial capitalism at the sites of their structural and systemic unfolding. By expanding his research agenda beyond the confines of racial identity, Tran reclaims trusted modes of analysis that have been obscured by the prevailing antiracist orthodoxy. He proposes reimagining antiracism in terms of a theologically meaningful account of political economy.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197617915