To be published by UBC Press on Sept. 16, 2024. Pre-order here.
Canada’s multiculturalism stops where most newsrooms begin. Despite recent efforts to increase diversity in the media, people of colour are often presented as clichés – from freeloading immigrants to keepers of exotic culture – rather than as individuals with complex stories.
Under the White Gaze is a candid investigation into the state of race in Canadian media today that challenges the way we think about the news we read, watch, and listen to.
Instead of treating diversity like a missing ingredient – simply add one racialized reporter and the problem is solved – journalist Christopher Cheung calls on newsrooms to think critically about representation in all areas of coverage. That means recognizing that even feel-good reporting about festive foods or model minorities can perpetuate the white gaze. Examining real stories from recent years for successes or how they fall short, Cheung weighs in on what they reveal about Canada’s white gaze, and how it operates differently than America’s.
Deeply researched and engagingly written by a racialized reporter navigating the industry, Under the White Gaze is the perfect addition to newsrooms, journalism schools, and social science departments, and is a great read for Canadian media consumers — as well as anyone who studies or is interested in race and representation.
An Anthology of Non-Fiction Vancouver Stories
My greatest hits, with some new stories.
To be published by ECW Press fall 2026.
Essays
I Spent the Holidays in Inheritance Capitalism
The Tyee, January 12, 2024
Blind Spots
Winner of Friends of Canadian Broadcasting’s 2021 Dalton Camp Award
Last Supper at Soho
The Tyee, April 14, 2021
On Qingming, My Family Tidies the Graves
The Tyee, April 5, 2019
A Love Letter to the Shuttered Vancouver Courier
The Tyee, April 3, 2020
Moving On From a
Truly Special Vancouver Neighbourhood
The Tyee, February 4, 2020
Capturing Instagram’s Backstage from
My Downtown Window
The Tyee, January 2, 2018
My Cup of Bubble Tea
The Tyee, March 2, 2021