Global Courant 2023-05-08 21:28:20
When it comes to building friendships in the US, most Asian adults say it comes most easily within their own community. In a new Pew Research Center study that delves into the shared experience of Asian-American daily life, 51% said all or most of their friends in the US share their ethnicity or are also Asian.
The survey of more than 7,000 Asian adults living in the US revealed differences and similarities in the way they see themselves and the community at large.
While 56% of foreign-born Asians said all or most of their friends are also Asian, one generation in the US can make all the difference, the study finds. Only 38% of US-born Asians say most of their friends are also Asian. Among third-generation Asian Americans, that number drops to 32%.
But when it comes to identifying who is Asian, definitions often vary by ethnic group. An overwhelming majority of those polled, 89%, said they view East Asians as “Asians”; 88% said they viewed Southeast Asians as “Asians”; and 67% said South Asians fit the definition.
Central Asians, such as Afghans or Kazakhs, were only identified as “Asian” by 43% of Asian adults. South Asians were more likely than other groups to include them in the definition.
But despite varying ideas about who fits under the umbrella—and the fact that only a quarter of Asians say they know about Asian-American history—about 60% of those surveyed said what happened to other Asians in the VS happens, affects their own lives. . About 70% said they want a national leader who will raise the concerns of the Asian community.
Most community members described the American dream as something more than accumulating wealth or owning a business. Ninety-six percent said freedom of choice to live life, a good family life and a comfortable retirement are more important to them.
While most Asian adults surveyed said the American dream is within reach, a quarter said they will never achieve it.
