Sonya Chen

Sonya Chen’s research, writing, and teaching focus on Asian American politics, social movements, and interminority politics. Her current book project examines the Stop Asian Hate movement and organizing against anti-Asian violence during the COVID-19 era more broadly, exploring the contentious relationship of Asian Americans to carceral politics and racial justice. Her research has been published or is forthcoming in Politics, Groups, and Identities; Political Behavior; and Amerasia Journal. In tandem with her academic scholarship, Sonya has been involved in community research projects, from understanding racial violence and healing in Oakland, California to organizing against a proposed arena in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Prior to joining Barnard, Sonya was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Asian American Studies program at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her B.A. in Political Science with minors in Sociology and Statistics from Swarthmore College and her Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University.