The Department of Politics joins other voices on Princeton’s campus in expressing solidarity with all Asian American and Pacific Islander members of our community. The horrific killing last week of eight people in the Atlanta area – most of them Asian women – is a reminder that violence in our society is not distributed randomly. Communities of color and women are disproportionately targeted. Last week’s events are also an all-too-predictable consequence of a disturbing rise in anti-Asian racist discourse and sentiment over the past year.

I encourage everyone in our community to reach out to fellow community members who are grieving about and distressed by these developments. The pandemic makes it more difficult than usual to support one another but more important that we all make every effort to do so. If any individual is looking for support, and I or any other Department officer can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Alan Patten
Chair, Department of Politics