Searching for a sense of place: Identity negotiation of Chinese immigrants

This paper reports the identity negotiation experiences of first, second and 1.5 generation Chinese immigrants in Australia. Integration into the Australian larger society requires first generation immigrants to learn or improve their English language skills and adapt to the host cultural practices to the extent possible so that they can be accepted as a member of the mainstream society. Second and 1.5 generation immigrants have the advantage of being well-equipped with knowledge of the host cultural practices and English language skills as they were either born in the host country or migrated at a young age. However, as they grow up, they realize that it is not possible for people with Chinese ancestry to be 100% “Australian”, no matter how well they speak the English language or how closely they follow the Australian way of life. Their physical appearance sets them apart from the Anglo-Australians at first sight. Consequently, they also need to perform to the expectations of both cultural groups, and this is what they do on a daily basis. Drawing upon data from 35 semi-structured interviews with first, second and 1.5 generation Chinese in Australia, this study illustrates that shifted identity, rather than blended identity is favoured by majority of respondents as they navigate through the bicultural environment to “fit in” different contexts. The Findings from this study highlight that identification with a culture does not necessarily suggest belonging to that culture. Identification and belonging are not the same. Those findings are discussed in light of implication for theories on identities and acculturation.