Analysis: Andrew Yang, identity politics and the race for mayor of New York

You may have noticed Andrew Yang’s striking transformation from Democratic presidential candidate to one of the top contenders for the next mayor of New York.

The businessman turned politician has made an about-face on identity politics, as the June 22 primaries draw closer (early voting began last Saturday).

Here it is in 2019: “I understand the impulse, but identity politics is a great way to lose an election.”

And here it is in 2021: “I feel very responsible for representing Asian Americans in New York, who feel their place in New York, their place in America, has been called into question.”

Why this sudden U-turn?

The son of Taiwanese immigrants, Yang said the shooting at three Atlanta-area massage parlors in March – an attack that resulted in the deaths of eight people, mostly Asian or Asian-American women. – and the anti-Asian atmosphere The prejudices that hovered over American society during the coronavirus pandemic made it rethink its attachment to its identity.

“I certainly had the feeling that many Asian Americans have been walking the streets of New York over the past few months, when before, frankly, I might have felt like I was blending in. the woodwork, ”he told the Washington Post. “And now people seem to notice I’m here, but they’re not happy I’m here.”

Despite the change, Yang still has his detractors, who point out that his sudden embrace of his identity resembles political pimping designed to touch the hearts of voters.

“He just went from stereotypical jokes to self-righteously condemning them as it suited his political needs,” wrote Charissa Isidro of The Daily Beast. “Speaking as a Filipino American: If this is how we’re supposed to get more representation of Asian Americans in politics, I don’t want it.”

In addition, there is a big difference between defending marginalized groups in grassroots speeches and centering or even meaningfully including them in a campaign platform. Critics point out that Yang is thin on policy proposals that resonate or would benefit Asian Americans.

“If Andrew Yang is to represent the AAPI community, he will need to build trust and organize the community like any other candidate,” said Sara Sadhwani, senior researcher at civic engagement nonprofit AAPI Data. “Sharing his immigrant story, listening and showing that he understands the needs the community faces, and most importantly, keeping any promises made to the community – all of this is part of reactive performance.”

To discuss the role of identity in Yang’s election campaign, I spoke with the professor at Columbia University Mae M. Ngai, which focuses on issues of immigration, citizenship and nationalism.

The following conversation has been edited slightly for length and clarity.

How is identity taken into account in Andrew Yang’s mayoral campaign in New York?

Well he ain’t really running as an Asian American candidate. It’s clear. And he doesn’t conform to stereotypes. That is true. He is not trying to appeal to Asian Americans in particular. So, although it had the support of some Asian Americans, it was not adopted. as an Asian American candidate, and I think some people just assume he represents Asian Americans.

He was backed by Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), and I think he will get votes from some Asian Americans. But I think many Asian American voters who take the vote a little more seriously will not vote for him. He is not seen as someone who will be successful in representing the interests of the community.

When Yang ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, he angered many Asian Americans by playing on stereotypes. He joked that he was good at math. He joked that he knew a lot of doctors. I wonder if Yang’s mayoral campaign is, in its own way, a rebuke of his previous campaign. He wants people to notice him. He wants to be more personal.

I agree that he challenges some stereotypes. But it targets more, I think, white voters, not Asian American voters. When he says things like he wants to make New York City fun again, that’s a very non-Asian thing to say. Because it makes him look not serious. He talked about opening schools, which is of universal interest. A lot of his so-called politicians I consider stunts because I don’t think he’s a very serious candidate. His proposal to make New York a Bitcoin hub – I think that’s nonsense. So he’s provocative, which isn’t an Asian stereotype either.

In a way, he’s a bit like (Donald) Trump. Yang is not a fascist. But like Trump, he has no experience leading a government. Like Trump, he has a questionable track record as a businessman. Like Trump, he is prone to provocation.

Interestingly, he seems to have gone pretty far in not being an ethnic candidate. So, for whites who are reluctant to vote for a person of color, it is not threatening. I don’t know what support he’s going to get from Asian Americans – because we would like to have more representation, but it has to be more than just a face.

Yang is often criticized for a story of his own making. For example, he didn’t know anything about 50-a, a law repealed last year that allowed police to hide misconduct records. But he’s also pilloried for things like saying his favorite subway station is Times Square. Does this review ever cross the line?

For one thing, the fact that he’s not a New Yorker matters, because if you want to run New York City, you need to know something about New York City. You don’t necessarily have to be born in New York, but you have to know it.

On the other hand, there is a danger any time you say that an Asian American is not from here. Saying this invokes the stereotype that Asian Americans are still foreigners.

This is exactly the conversation that took place because of the Cartoon from the New York Daily News depicting Yang as a tourist. The newspaper has defended itself against accusations that the cartoon is racist, but to me, it tampers with the stereotype “Asian Americans are perpetual strangers.” Where does this stereotype come from?

This comes from exclusion laws, which date back to the first Chinese exclusion laws around 1882. The Chinese were excluded because they were supposed to be unassimilable. Chinese workers were excluded from entry and all Chinese were excluded from citizenship. So if you say, legally, that someone can never be a citizen, then what is that person? Always a foreigner.

Even Americans of Chinese descent who were born in the United States, their citizenship was not recognized. It was not until 1898 that the United States Supreme Court upheld the birthright of all people, but especially Chinese born in the United States.

The idea that the Chinese can never be assimilated – can never be “real Americans” – is a political or cultural idea, but it was also enshrined in laws, and those laws were only repealed. ‘after the Second World War. And Asians in general were only able to naturalize in 1952. It wasn’t that long ago. It was only a few generations ago.

So the idea that Asian Americans are perpetual strangers – people think it’s just a cultural stereotype, but it has a very deep history that’s been rooted in law. There were overriding exclusion laws, but there were also national and local laws in effect until the late 1940s.

What is the most interesting thing for you in the Yang / identity conversation?

I think it is interesting that he is not being discussed as an Asian American candidate. (Laughs.) This part of his campaign worked. It doesn’t really work on an identity platform.

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Analysis: Andrew Yang, identity politics and the race for mayor of New York