Sonya Chen is a Ph.D. candidate in Politics and Social Policy at Princeton University. Her research and teaching interests include race and ethnic politics, social movements and organizations, and political behavior. Her dissertation project, titled “Asian Americans and the Politics of Racial Justice” examines how Asian Americans position themselves in the American racial order and engage in racial politics. Using the contemporary movement against anti-Asian violence as a starting point, the project explores how Asian Americans are making political demands, constructing the political meaning of anti-Asian violence, and (dis)engaging with state institutions meant to address violence. 

Sonya’s work has been published in Politics, Groups, and Identities. She is the recipient of the American Political Science Association Diversity Fellowship and the George Kateb Preceptor Award for excellent teaching at Princeton. Sonya received her B.A. with high honors in Political Science and minors in Sociology and Statistics from Swarthmore College.