published_or_final_version / abstract / China Development Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Includes bibliographical references (p. 178-203).

Recent years have witnessed the large number of Chinese immigrants in Canada. However, talk about the return migration of Chinese immigrants is circulating within the Canada's Chinese communities, especially among Chinese immigrants who have obtained Canadian academic credentials. This inquiry explores ten Chinese immigrants' perceptions about their immigration and living experiences in Canada. My goal is to understand, from a social-cultural-historical context, the phenomenon of Chinese-Canadian return migration among recent Chinese immigrants in Canada. The theoretical framework is derived primarily from Bourdieu's capital theory and his critical approach to the concept of habitus . Drawing on an interpretative, qualitative approach, I examine social, cultural, historical forces that influence the ways these Chinese immigrants perceive, negotiate and reposition themselves in facing various challenges and struggles. Traditionally, research on return migration of Chinese immigrants in Canada has focused on the economic and social integration of immigrants in the host country. I argue that "Chinese cultural habitus", such as the profound influence of Confucianism and Taoism that Chinese immigrants inherited, played critical roles in their actions, attitudes and decision-making about their return migration. I collected the participants' narratives for a one and half year period from August 2006 to March 2008 primarily through open-ended interviews, and various documentation such as field notes, reflexive notes and Canadian Statistics. Analyses of the data suggest that the unrecognized foreign credentials and the limited social capital of Chinese immigrants are the primary factors that disadvantage their social mobility. Chinese cultural values and beliefs have great impact on Chinese immigrants' perceptions and behaviors during their journey of crossing different social spaces, assuming different positionings and negotiating among their multiple identities.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-60).

by Chun Wai (May) Chan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [147-149]). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Introduction --- p.1-3 / The Historical Event / Intersection of History and Biography / Contemporary Emigration / Literature Review --- p.4-15 / Conceptual and Theoretical Issues / "Types of Contemporary HK Emigrants, Emigration Strategies, & Emigration Adjustments" / "Rationales for Emigration, Return Emigration, and Settlement" / Politically Driven vs. Economically Driven Emigration / Middle Class Emigration vs. Working Class Emigration / The Meaning of the Contemporary Wave of Emigration / Research Method --- p.16-20 / Research Aim / Framework of Analysis / Subject of Study / Research Design / Conducting the Interview / Data Analysis / Chapter Organization --- p.21-21 / Chapter 1- The Setting / Chapter 2- The Search / Chapter 3- The Transition / Chapter 4- The Split / Chapter 5- The Scale / Chapter 6- The Meaning of the Contemporary Wave of Emigration from Hong Kong / Chapter Chapter 1- --- The Setting --- p.22-26 / Chapter 1.1 --- History of Emigration / Chapter 1.2 --- The Contemporary Period / Chapter 1.2A --- Transformations in Hong Kong / Chapter 1.2B --- Immigration Policies of Overseas Destination Countries / Chapter 1.3 --- The Timeframe / Chapter Chapter 2- --- The Search --- p.27-48 / Chapter 2.1 --- Forward / Chapter 2.2 --- Motivations for Emigration / Chapter 2.2A --- Overseas Educational Opportunities / Chapter 2.2B --- Overseas Living Environment / Chapter 2.2C --- Political Transition (97) / Chapter 2.3 --- 1997: Divergent Focus / Chapter 2.3A --- Shadow Past / Chapter 2.3B --- Ambiguous Future / Chapter 2.4 --- Non-Conventional Cases / Chapter 2.5 --- Recapitulation / Chapter Chapter 3- --- The Transition --- p.49-74 / Chapter 3.1 --- Forward / Chapter 3.2 --- Economic and Social Transitions / Chapter 3.2A --- Economic / Chapter 3.2A. 1 --- Employment/ Career Adjustments / Chapter 3.2A. 1. a --- Experience and Education Route / Chapter 3.2A. 1 .b --- Experience Route / Chapter 3.2A. 1. c --- Further Education Route / Chapter 3.2A. 2 --- Economic Insecurity / Chapter 3.2.B --- Social / Chapter 3.2B.1 --- Expanded Living Environment / Chapter 3.2B.2 --- Detracted Sense of Belonging / Chapter 3.3 --- Recapitulation / Chapter Chapter 4- --- The Split --- p.75-107 / Chapter 4.1 --- Forward / Chapter 4.2 --- Motivations for Return Emigration / Chapter 4.2A --- Lack of Extended Family Support & Contact Overseas / Chapter 4.2B --- Preference of Living in Hong Kong / Chapter 4.2C --- Economic/Career Opportunities in Hong Kong / Chapter 4.3 --- Conditional Return / Chapter 4.4 --- Tendency to Return to Destination Country / Chapter 4.5 --- Return Emigration Experiences / Chapter 4.6 --- Motivations for Settlement / Chapter 4.6A --- Overseas Living Environment/Lifestyle / Chapter 4.6B --- Opportunities for the Next Generation / Chapter 4.6C --- Timing/Inability to Overcome Barriers to Return Emigrate / Chapter 4.7 --- Perception of Passport / Chapter 4.8 --- Recapitulation / Chapter Chapter 5 --- The Scale --- p.108-118 / Chapter 5.1 --- Forward / Chapter 5.2 --- The Losses / Chapter 5.3 --- The Gains / Chapter 5.4 --- The Balance / Chapter 5.5 --- Recapitulation / Chapter Chapter 6- --- The Meaning of the Contemporary Wave of Emigration from Hong Kong --- p.119-131 / Appendix / Table I: Motivations for Emigration / Table II: Motivations for Return Emigration / Table III: Motivations for Settlement / Table IV: Occupation and Education Level / Table V: No. of Children / "Table VI: Current Age, Age at Time of Emigration, and Year of Emigration/ Return Emigration/Settlement" / Interview Schedule (Abridged) / Bibliography

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education