Encountering windows and mirrors in the diaspora: using Young Adult literature to explore the stories and counterstories of Asian American and British ESEA young people

Hsieh, Natalie Naihuei (2025) Encountering windows and mirrors in the diaspora: using Young Adult literature to explore the stories and counterstories of Asian American and British ESEA young people. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Historically, stories have often been used to marginalize and misrepresent the Other and to disseminate stereotypes in society (Said, 2003; Adichie, 2009; Ramdarshan Bold, 2019a). This is particularly harmful for BIPOC young people who rarely see themselves represented in stories, as the lack of representation creates a version of reality which excludes them entirely (Saha, 2021). Thus, it is crucial for stories to include both ‘windows’ and ‘mirrors’ which can truthfully capture the complexity and diversity of the world in which we live (Bishop, 1990). Young Adult literature can provide some of these necessary ‘windows’ and ‘mirrors,’ especially for young people who are seeking stories that are relevant, relatable, and can provide counterstories that work against the deficit messages of society (Alsup, 2003; Cart, 2008; Hughes-Hassell, 2013; Ramdarshan Bold and Phillips, 2019).

However, the field of YA is still lacking when it comes to nuanced representation, especially regarding Asian American and British ESEA (East and Southeast Asian) stories. British ESEA stories are particularly invisible, even when compared to Asian American stories, with British Chinese stories making up only 0.3% of children’s fiction in 2020 and 2021 (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, 2021, 2022). This is partly due to the historical differences between Asian American and British ESEA communities, as the Asian American community has a far longer tradition of community-building, political organising, and panethnic coalitions (Benton and Gomez, 2008; Lee, 2015). The impact of these historical divergences can not only be seen in YA but also in Asian American and British ESEA young people themselves, especially in their perceptions of their own diasporic, hybrid identities and the knowledge (or lack thereof) of their communal histories in the US and the UK.

This thesis sits at the centre of these theoretical threads, pulling them together in the form of an asynchronous, online book club for Asian American and British ESEA young people where they discussed representative YA from the US and the UK. Several insights were generated over the course of the book club, as participants wrestled with difficult topics such as intergenerational and intercultural family relationships, feelings of ‘identity flux,’ ESEA stereotypes, the insidious ‘single story,’ and whether it is possible to create a better world. There were also striking differences between the US and the UK participants that became clear, which I attempted to contextualise within the disparate histories of each community. In the end, several important findings emerged from this study regarding the importance of representation (and the harm of misrepresentation) across the diaspora, as well as the power of YA to create a space for young people to explore and understand their identities and the identities of others.

It is crucial to note that this book club did not reveal any absolute truths about Asian American and British ESEA young people; rather, it only provided a safe space for a multiplicity of opinions, identities, and stories to be honestly discussed and exchanged. Ultimately, this study has highlighted the need for more such spaces for Asian American and British ESEA young people, where they can negotiate their hybrid identities and have the chance to define themselves.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: L Education > L Education (General); L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Ramdarshan Bold, Professor Melanie and Farrar, Dr. Jennifer
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-85184
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 13 Jun 2025 07:31
• Last Modified: 13 Jun 2025 07:33
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.85184
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85184