The contact hypothesis (Allport 1954) predicts that cross-racial interaction can produce social bonding under certain status, relational, and institutional conditions. We extend this classic theory on ingroups and outgroups using qualitative data on Cambodian and Hmong refugees' recollections of casual conversations about ancestry with black and white peers. To cope with affective trauma, these refugees have created personal narratives about forced emigration. They believe that white peers shared stories about immigrant ancestors from Europe to affirm or elicit their emigration narrative. The refugees rarely believe that black peers' talk about slavery and discrimination was a story-sharing gesture and felt uncomfortable discussing these issues. Yet the refugees also feel disappointed when recalling interactions with assimilated white peers who “don't have a story to tell” about ancestry. From these inductive findings, this article proposes the corollary discourse hypothesis to explain how sentiments about intergroup narration, and not just frequency of contact, amplify or diminish empathy and association in a heterogeneous society.
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