’Linsanity’ And The Chinese/American Dream:Contemporary Perspectives On Nationalist And Ethnic Identity Among Chinese Youth

Jeremy Lin, the young basketball player, became a huge phenomenon recently in both the United States and China. The role his ethnicity and nationality play in his popularity is a topic of fervent debate. This paper examines why the story of Lin is so resonant among Chinese young people. It approaches Lin as a case study to look into how national identity is constructed, particularly in relation to ethnic identification.The analysis takes as its primary lens the ethno-symbolic approach of nationalism pioneered by Anthony Smith (2009). This view emphasizes the importance of myths, symbols, and values in the development of the modern nation. I conducted qualitative interviews to gain an in-depth perspective on Lin as a site for identity construction, structuring questions around the concepts of nationalist and ethnic identification.Because of his unexpected, sudden rise to fame, Lin is a mythical figure in that he emerged from seemingly nowhere to achieve great success. Lin’s ethnic appearance elicits strong feelings of identification from several students. This first verifies the importance of mythical figures in sustaining a national image. Forming this ethnic connection allows youths to relate both with and against Lin because he reflects the values and social system of the United States. The distinction between ethnicity and nationality allows Lin to be an aspirational figure due to his perceived distance from the Chinese social system. Meanwhile, Lin’s hybridity permits youths to identify with him based not only on shared nation or ethnicity, but also individual goals.The research concludes that much of Lin’s appeal is owed to his perceived ethnic, and therefore national identity. However, the construction of this ethnic identification is multifaceted, and differentiates itself from simple nationalistic pride. Because of his representation of American values, he becomes an inspiring figure for Chinese young people. His story runs parallel to a new "Chinese dream" of succeeding unexpectedly outside of China alone. Therefore, ethnicity is an important site of identification, on which young people can move toward a new national identity grounded in the shared history they perceive themselves to have with Lin.