Dr. Jasmine Pham

Affirming Chinese Canadian Identities in Mandarin Bilingual Classrooms

This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of Chinese Canadian students enrolled in Alberta’s Mandarin bilingual program, focusing on how they navigate Sinophobia (racialized fear of Chinese people), the Model Minority Myth (stereotype that Asians are uniformly successful and self-sufficient), and anti-Asian racism (discrimination based on Asian identity). Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 17 graduates, the study explored how bilingual education intersects with race, language, and identity. Findings reveal that the program fosters cultural affirmation, heritage language maintenance, and intergenerational connection. However, students also contended with persistent racialized pressures, intra-Asian hierarchies, and gendered strategies of resistance against anti-Asian racism and racialized stereotypes. Ultimately, students in the program actively reclaimed and redefined their Asian Canadian identity through counter-stories and peer solidarity. By centering student voice, this study contributes empirically, theoretically, and practically to understanding bilingual education as a racialized space, highlighting its potential to affirm identity while also underscoring the need for further anti-racist pedagogy and culturally responsive educational leadership.