Coalition or Othering? Asian Americans’ Experiences of Discrimination, Collective Identity, and Intergroup Solidarity

Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of the rejection identification model (RIM) and intraethnic othering, this study examined how Asian Americans’ perceived discrimination was sequentially associated with collective identity and intergroup solidarity in the rare racial context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined if critical consciousness moderated these relationships. A moderated mediation model was tested in a community sample of 468 Asian American adults. In support of the RIM, perceived discrimination was directly and indirectly (via collective identity) associated with intergroup solidarity. Additionally, critical consciousness moderated the direct association between perceived discrimination and intergroup solidarity, but not the indirect path. As for those with underdeveloped critical consciousness, discrimination was positively related to intergroup solidarity with other Black, Indigenous, and people of Color (BIPOC) communities. The findings underscored the importance of channeling racism experiences towards a positive direction of facilitating collective identity, intergroup solidarity, and critical consciousness. Implications for practice, advocacy, education and research were discussed.