Between 1858 and 1930, Victoria’s Chinese immigrants brought their homeland religions to the Canadian city of Victoria BC. They experienced a broad range of challenges as they attempted to fit into the mainstream society. This continual struggle affected their religious lives in particular as they sought to adjust in ways that helped them deal with racial discrimination. As a result, Chinese folk religions, especially those emphasizing ancestral worship, became intertwined with local Chinese associations as a way of strengthening the emotional connections between association members. Some associations broadened their membership by adding ancestral deities or worshiping the deity of sworn brotherhood in a bid to create broader connections among the Chinese men who dominated Victoria’s Chinese community. At the same time, Christians, who practiced the religion of Victoria’s mainstream society, reached out to the Chinese, at first by offering practical language training and later by establishing missions and churches that focused on the Chinese. Many Chinese immigrants welcomed English classes and the social opportunities that churches provided but resisted conversion, as the discrimination they faced in mainstream society had left them sceptical about Christianity, which was seen as closely linked to the dominant Western culture. However, Chinese attitudes towards Christianity became more favorable after the 1910s, when the patriotism of Chinese immigrants led them to support revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen and his new Chinese government, which promoted Christianity as a symbol of modernity. In general, the Chinese in Victoria were not especially enthusiastic about religion, whether Chinese folk religion or Christianity, although women were generally more interested in religion than men. Although many Chinese pragmatically sought comfort and assistance from both religions, they followed Confucian orthodoxy in focusing primarily on daily life rather than religious life. At the same time, over the decades between 1858 and 1930 both Chinese folk religion and Christianity affected the Chinese community as this community adopted a mixture of Western and Eastern cultures, including religious elements from both cultures. / Graduate / 2020-08-20

The study of diaspora dictates a yearning to return home which finds its Chinese equivalent in the notion of louye-guigen ( 落葉歸根) - returning to the roots. However, reality is that diaspora comes to an end after settlement for two to three generations. We do see the prevailing trend of luodi-shenggen (落地生根) – the planting of permanent roots in the soils of different countries of Chinese overseas. In some Chinese communities, luodi-shenggen turns out to be a total assimilation while others developed a uniquely Chinese identity. This dissertation seeks to examine how the Sinophone as ennuciative tactic to afford a sense of homeliness to the Malaysian Chinese – Mahua (馬華) who maintain a practice of Sinitic languages in their daily life for generations while they unmistakably identify themselves as Malaysian. Such identification situates them in an inbetweenness where they engage in constant dialog to engender new speech act. Through the study of Chinese street names in George Town, Penang and the Sinophone cultural troupe Dongdiyin (動地吟), I argue that Sinitic languages afford the Malaysian Chinese a sense of home and that Sinitic languages are employed as a tactic in face of the grand narratives of their mother Chinese culture and the Malaysian national discourse, and to displace them. / published_or_final_version / Literary and Cultural Studies / Master / Master of Arts

This thesis examines the experiences of the overseas Chinese in the Russian Far East during the revolutionary and Civil War period from 1917 to 1920, as well as their responses to the upheaval. Bucking the current trend towards transcultural history, the thesis argues that Chinese identity and nationalist language were of prime importance to this community. By concentrating on Chinese-language sources, the thesis re-privileges the community's internal discourses and highlights the prevalence of nationalist rhetoric across the Sino-Russian border. It also sites the Chinese community's use of nationalist language within the context of the global diaspora, for which questions of national weakness and revival were also pressing. Going further, the thesis postulates the presence of "Chinese nationalism with Russian characteristics", in which the issues surrounding Chinese nationalism as a whole were heightened. It shows that the rhetoric of 'national humiliation' and victimhood were particularly immediate to the community in the Russian Far East, since it was located at one of the epicentres of imperial contestation. In practice, this led to a modus vivendi with the Reds and a decisive turn against the Whites. Furthermore, the chaos of the revolutions and Civil War imbued this nationalism with an opportunistic quality. The collapse of Russian state power became the 'opportunity of a thousand years' for China to redress past wrongs. This allowed the overseas community to work closely with local authorities and the Beijing government to achieve shared goals. New civil society organisations with community-wide aims were formed. Beijing extended its diplomatic reach in the form of new Far Eastern consulates. Finally, common nationalist rhetoric underpinned China's successful attempt to re-establish its civilian and military presence on the Amur River. "Chinese nationalism with Russian characteristics" could be effectively harnessed to secure multi-level and cross-border cooperation.

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La relation entre immigrations et espace urbain connaît actuellement de profondes recompositions dans le contexte athénien. Des nouvelles territorialités voient le jour, induites surtout par des vagues migratoires récemment arrivées. Le but de cette thèse est d'étudier comment l'immigration chinoise, tout en faisant partie de ces vagues migratoires, se différencie et trace des parcours économiques et sociospatiaux autres. Le principal quartier d'installation des ces migrants, situé dans la partie ouest du centre d'Athènes, est au coeur de notre recherche. La question centrale de notre thèse est, d'une part, d'identifier les caractéristiques du tissu social et urbain qui ont permit ce regroupement et, d'autre part, de voir quelles mutations découlent de la présence chinoise dans le quartier. La méthodologie adoptée fait appel à quatre outils principaux : entretiens semi-directifs avec des commerçants et habitants chinois et non chinois, enquête par questionnaire sur deux immeubles du terrain d'étude, relevés et observations du quartier en question, enfin, recueil et traitement des données encore non publiées. Ce travail a suggéré qu'un « quartier chinois », tourné sur l'activité du commerce de gros, est en effet apparu. À côté de sa forte dimension économique, il s'agit d'un lieu de référence pour la population étudiée. Nous montrerons que ce regroupement ethnique coexiste avec d'autres dynamiques qui se manifestent dans le même espace. Les migrants chinois contribuent aux réhabilitations atypiques que connaît leur quartier d'installation, tandis que leur contribution procède de l'imbrication de l'échelle globale et de l'échelle locale. Faisant partie de la diaspora chinoise, ils mobilisent des réseaux transnationaux dans le processus de leur installation. En même temps, le quartier d'installation se transforme aussi pour devenir un nouveau pôle au sein de la toile migratoire chinoise. Finalement, cette étude a montré la nécessité de changer de regard sur la présence des migrants dans l'espace urbain. Contrairement au discours qui associe les migrants au déclin urbain, nous mettons l'accent sur l'aspect positif de leur rôle en tant qu'acteurs du changement urbain. / The relation between migration flows and urban space is experiencing significant recompositions in Athens. Recently arrived migration flows follow new territorialities in the city, thus reshaping its social and urban fabric. Aim of the thesis is to study the Chinese migration as part of those international flows and to further demonstrate the distinct sociospatial trajectories that the latter follow. The central neighborhood of their establishment, located in the west part of the city center, is at the core of our study. The principal question is, on the one hand, to identify the sociospatial characteristics of the neighborhood that allowed their establishment and, on the other hand, to analyze the visible changes of the area of establishment carried out by the Chinese presence. The research combines four methodological approaches: in depth interviews carried out with shopkeepers and inhabitants, both Chinese and non Chinese, survey by questionnaire in neighborhoods' apartment buildings, in situ observation and systematic mapping of the commercial activities and finally, gathering and processing of secondary data, such as population census and business registries. The thesis argues that Chinese migrants, mainly focused on wholesale commercial activities, formed a distinct “Chinese” area in Athens' city center. Next to its dominant economic dimension, the area also constitutes a meeting place for the majority of the Chinese migratory group, which proved to be highly heterogeneous in socioeconomic terms. The thesis further pointed out that this ethnic establishment coexists with the concomitant urban dynamics of the neighborhood. Further on, we showed that they do not only coexist, but they actively contribute to the atypical rehabilitation processes of Metaxourgio area. Their contribution is better understood as an outcome of the local / global scale intertwining. In fact, Chinese migrants, as integral part of a larger diaspora, mobilized transnational social networks in the process of their establishment. This process gave finally rise to a new "pole" of the Chinese diaspora in southern Europe. Following the study's findings, the thesis highlights the necessity of a theoretical shift towards the understanding of migrants' presence and role in the urban space. Contrary to the dominant, discriminating discourses that link migrants' presence to urban decline, this thesis, ultimately, manages to underline the positive effects of Chinese migrants their active role as agents of the urban change.

La diaspora chinoise a pris de l’ampleur depuis la deuxième moitié du XIXème siècle. En France, la migration de Chinois originaires de la région de Wenzhou, s’est intensifiée depuis les années 1980. Ce sous-groupe de la diaspora chinoise a dès lors rapidement développé ses activités économiques. L’objectif cette thèse consiste à étudier l’organisation économique, sociale et spatiale des migrants de Wenzhou en France, principalement dans la région parisienne, et d’analyser les rapports économiques et sociaux que ceux-ci entretiennent avec la Chine en général et avec leur région d’origine en particulier. L’hypothèse centrale de la thèse est que le « Modèle de Wenzhou » en Chine, tel qu’il est identifié et analysé par les universitaires chinois, et le développement de l’entrepreneuriat chinois issu de Wenzhou en France sont étroitement liés. Pour ce faire, nous interrogerons notamment l’idée d’une « importation » de ce modèle en France. Les résultats de cette thèse permettent de révéler l’existence d’une économie transnationale originale, reliant la France et la Chine, qui a été soutenue par la diaspora Wenzhou et a produit une forme de « transfert migratoire » dans chacun des deux pays. Plus largement, la thèse permet de montrer de quelle manière la diaspora chinoise en France a contribué au développement économique de la Chine et comment elle a pu bénéficier de la nouvelle politique de la Chine initiée au début des années 2000 pour se consolider. / The Chinese diaspora has been growing since the second half of the nineteenth century. In France, the Chinese immigration from the region of the Wenzhou has intensified since the 1980s. This sub-group of the Chinese diaspora has since rapidly expanded its economic activities. The objective of this thesis is to study the economic, social and spatial organization of Wenzhou migrants in France, manly in the Paris region, and to analyze the economic and social relations that they maintain with China in general and with their region of origin in particular. The central hypothesis of the thesis is that the economic “model of Wenzhou” area, as identified and analyzed by the Chinese scholars, and the development of Chinese entrepreneurship in France are closely linked in particular through "Import"of this model in France. The results of our thesis reveal the existence of an original transnational economy connecting France and China, that was supported by the Wenzhou diaspora and that produced a form of "migratory transfer" in each of the two countries. More broadly, the thesis helps to show how the Chinese diaspora in France contributed to the economic development of China, but also how it benefitted from measures included in China's new policy initiated in the early 2000s to consolidate itself.

L’influence montante de la Chine en Afrique est souvent analysée comme la simple exprsssion d’unevolonté étatique chinoise. Le rôle des migrants et diasporas contribue pourtant de manière primordialeau dynamisme des échanges. C’est notamment le cas des Chinois au Nigér ia. Entre la Chine et leNigéria, les relations inter-étatiques sont peu significatives, contrairement aux échanges initiés par laprésence de migrants et entrepreneurs chinois. Implantées solidement dans les tissus économiques duNigéria, les communautés chinoises créent une dynamique forte qui associe affaires et politique. Lathèse met en lumière et analyse à partir d’observations participantes et d’entretiens (formels etinformels) , le rôle d’impulsion joué par une « diaspora économique » largement autonome par rapportaux relations officielles. Elle décrypte les stratégies du quotidien et l'importance de ces individusordinaires et leurs actions, entretenus essentiellement par les réseaux de toute nature, dans l’animationdes relations sino-nigérianes. / The rising influence of China in Africa is often considered as the mere expression of the will theChinese state. The role of migrants and Diasporas contributes decisively to the dynamism of theseinteractions. This is notably the case of the Chinese in Nigeria. Between China and Nigeria, inter-staterelations carry little significance, unlike the interactions associated with the presence of Chinesemigrants and entrepreneurs. The Chinese communities are solidly anchored in the Nigerian economicissue, and they create a momentum that combines business with politics. The thesis highlights anddiscusses, through observer-participant observations and interviews (both formally and informallyconducted) the impulse given by an 'economic Diaspora' that remains largely autonomous vis a visofficial relations. We analyze daily strategies and contrast these with official relations. In doing so, thethesis decrypts the daily strategies and the importance of ordinary individuals and their networks in thedevelopment of a diversity of networks that contribute, in their own way, to deepen Sino-Nigerianinteractions.

Emigrants from Qingtian County (Zhejiang province, China) have a long and rich history in Europe, but to date, little research has been done on their unique language, or its role in Qingtianese diaspora communities. Drawing inspiration from other studies about attitudes towards, and use of, Chinese heritage dialects in China and overseas, the author examines attitudes toward Qingtian dialect using established quantitative and qualitative sociolinguistic research methods. While the results indicate that most Sweden-based Qingtianese seem to have a relatively positive attitude toward their heritage dialect, there are strong signs of an ongoing language shift from Qingtian dialect to Putonghua. The results of the study also indicate some generational differences in attitude towards Qingtian dialect between younger and older Qingtianese, especially in regards to the perceived importance of being able to speak Qingtian dialect in connection with claiming a Qingtianese identity. The author concludes that additional research is needed to confirm the results of this study. / 青田县（中国浙江省）移民在欧洲有着悠久而丰富的历史，但迄今为止，关于他们独特的方言及其在青田移民社群中作用的研究却很少。本文从中国以及国际上对中国方言的研究中得到启发，运用定量以及定性的社会语言学研究方法考察居住在瑞典的青田人对青田方言的态度。结果表明，大多数瑞典青田人似乎对青田方言有相对积极的态度；同时，种种迹象表明，在瑞典的青田移民群体中，青田方言逐渐会被普通话替换。研究结果还表明，年轻和年长的青田人对青田方言的态度存在代际差异，特别是在对于掌握青田方言以及其对青田人身份认同的重要性上。笔者指出该篇论文的结果需要更大范围的研究来证明。

China and India claimed two territories along their borders on the Himalayas: Aksai Chin in the west and the North-East Frontier Agency in the east. The border dispute escalated and, on October 20, 1962, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) opened fire on the two fronts and advanced into the disputed territories. One month later, on November 21, China declared a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew behind its disputed line of control. In response, the Indian government arrested over 2,000 Chinese living in India and interned them in Deoli, Rajasthan. When the Chinese were released between 1964 and 1966, they found their properties sold off by the Indian government. Many left India and immigrated to Canada. I interviewed four Indian-born Chinese who were interned and who now live in the Greater Toronto Area. I recorded their accounts of life in Deoli Detention Camp in Rajasthan.