Understanding Acts of Resistance Among Immigrant-Origin Emerging Adult College Students During the 2016 Election of Trump

Abstract

With shifts in sociopolitical contexts marked by Trump’s 2016 election and increasing anti-immigrant discourse, the purpose of this study was to explore how immigrant-origin emerging adult college students define and engage in acts of resistance. In 2017, data were collected from 12 semi-structured focus group interviews at an urban Midwestern university. Our sample included 41 participants (M_age = 20.11, SD = 1.35 years) with 32 female and five male participants. Twenty-four participants were born in the U.S., and 13 were first-generation immigrants. 44.2% percent of the participants identified as Asian (n = 19), 27.9% as Hispanic/Latin@ (n = 12), 11.6% as White (n = 5), 7% as Black/African American (n = 3), and 9.3% identified with multiple racial groups (n = 4). Through a thematic analysis, we found that participants conceptualized resistance as standing up for themselves, engaging in protests, and unifying with others. Students noted the complicated role of family in facilitating and hindering their resistance and named competing responsibilities and a sense of vulnerability as major hindrances. Implications include developing ways to best support immigrant-origin emerging adult college students’ ability to engage in resistance to foster a critical consciousness and validate their identities, which can promote positive youth development.