Identifying the Unidentified Race: A Study of Normative Features of Commonsense Knowledge of Racism in Asian Members’ Online Interaction

Abstract

This article adopts an interactionist approach to examine the normative features and the everyday reproduction of commonsense knowledge regarding race and racism in social interaction among Asian members. Specifically, applying conversation analysis and membership categorization analysis to forum interactions in online Asian American communities, I focus on the interactional phenomenon where recipients of a racism report, in responding to the report, make relevant the perpetrator(s)’ race that is not identified in the report. I identify three sets of practices adopted by members: (1) directly assuming the perpetrator(s)’ race, (2) asking about the perpetrator(s)’ race, and (3) implicating the perpetrator(s)’ race through telling second stories. I show that members’ patterned practices point to their orientations toward a normative expectation that “Whites” are the perpetrators of anti-Asian racism and a common assumption that perpetrator(s)’ race matters when making sense of anti-Asian racism. However, such proposed racial common sense can be contested by coparticipants. I demonstrate that commonsense knowledge regarding race and racism is normatively and morally organized so that disagreements and contestations over the use of such knowledge are often treated by participants as arising from normative/moral breaches. Implications on studies on racism and relative positioning of racial groups in the contemporary U.S. context are also discussed.