Next up in our Honours Student Interview Series is Patrick Wen Rui Leong, who graduated with a dual degree from UBC in 2021. He completed the UBC Sciences Po Dual Degree program, which is a partnership between the University of British Columbia and l’Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po).
Scroll down to read through the complete interview and learn all about his honours thesis research and writing process.
What is the title of your honours thesis?
“Coded Racism and Community Resistance in the Anti-W5 Movement”
What interested you in this topic? Why did you choose it for your thesis?
My aunt, Dora Nipp, has always been one of my role models. A human rights lawyer, cultural historian, and researcher of our own family history, she first inspired me to learn about the histories of Chinese Canadians and social justice. She also introduced me to the story of the anti-W5 movement (1979-1980), which occurred when she was a student at UBC. The last year of my undergraduate degree (2020-2021) was an ideal moment to write about the anti-W5 movement. It had been the 40th anniversary of the movement’s conclusion, so it was a great opportunity to reflect on its legacy and impact. Many of the activists were still alive and eager to tell their stories. I was also considering what to research during the spike in anti-Asian racism at the beginning of the pandemic, and the movement is a compelling story of anti-racist resistance.
What was your favourite part of the research process?
The oral history interview process was such a rich and rewarding experience. I spoke with 12 people who came from a diverse range of ages and backgrounds – students, established professionals, and community organizers–but were united by the anti-W5 movement in demanding an apology from CTV for its racist portrayal of Chinese students. Some had not expected that their student activism would later be an honours student’s research topic–one interviewee was shocked that I was able to track down their contact information and initially thought that my email was a scam. Integrating oral histories into my research process was also a big learning experience. I faced several hurdles while navigating UBC’s Behavioural Research Ethics Board process, but my supervisor, Dr. Henry Yu, helped me to secure approval. Henry also challenged my initial approach to the interviews – moving from a rigid structure with a pre-formulated list of questions, to a more free-flowing approach that let participants bring the conversation to where they wanted to go – and encouraged me to focus on allowing the interviewees “speak” through the thesis by prominently featuring interview excerpts and shaping the thesis around their input.
Where do you hope to go next with your research or career?
After graduating from UBC, I completed a M.A. in International Affairs and now work as a federal public servant on climate and energy policy. That being said, I’m always happy to hear about people referencing my thesis and building on the research around the anti-W5 movement. I had the privilege of presenting my thesis at the National Forum on Anti-Asian Racism in June 2021, and I’m currently working with June Chow at the University of Toronto Libraries to preserve the oral history interview recordings.
What advice would you give to someone who is excited but nervous about writing their honours thesis next year?
Don’t stress about writing a perfect thesis prospectus! Pick a topic that interests you and let your research take you to weird and unexpected places. The whole point of the thesis process is to challenge preexisting assumptions and deepen your knowledge–just accept it and enjoy the ride.
Do you have a fun or anecdote you would like to share?
In HIST 333C, my final paper was about “Africa” by Toto. Thank you to Dr. Leslie Paris for entertaining me, and to Edward Said for providing the course-sanctioned lens to analyze the song.
