PhD student Karen Ka Lan Yeung awarded SSHRC Doctoral Scholarship

Karen is interested in examining the diverse expressions of the Chinese identity shaped by the community’s long and complex migration history to Canada, and how these identities inform political engagement and affinities. Her project will centre on conceptualising the different facets of Chinese identity as conveyed through language, cultural symbols, and media narratives within the context of an election campaign. By doing so, the study aims to address a critical gap in understanding the political attitudes of ethnic minorities and the broader implications for the functioning of representative democracy. Karen intends to employ a mixed-methods approach, including interviews with political candidates and civil society leaders of Chinese descent, alongside an analysis of campaign materials and public discourse. Special attention will be given to both legacy media and social media platforms to trace how identity is constructed, communicated, and mobilised during election campaigns.