Call for Papers – Asian American / Asian Research Institute 2026 Symposium

Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI) 2026 Symposium
The New Asian NYC: Mobilization, Grassroots Power, and Pluralistic Futures

Friday, May 15, 2026
Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY

The Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI), of the City University of New York (CUNY), invites scholars, activists, community-based organizations (CBOs), artists, students, and organizers to submit proposals for our upcoming 2026 symposium.

The recent election of Zohran Mamdani—the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor—marks a historic shift in New York City’s political landscape. This victory stands not only as a milestone for AAPI and Muslim representation but as a testament to the power of grassroots, working-class organizing. While often characterized as the “Mamdani Moment,” this campaign’s trajectory from just 3% in early polling offers a profound case study in the collective “social technology” of door-to-door engagement and the merging of diverse identities. This moment serves as our entry point to explore a broader conversation. We seek to investigate what these victories reveal about the future of Asian American identity, the intersection of class and race, and the evolving strategies of civic engagement in an increasingly polarized era.