Chinese descendants in Italy: emergence, role and uncertain identity

The history of Chinese immigration in Italy is about a century old, but numbers have become consistent in the last decades and the emergence of new generations is a recent phenomenon. This article examines the growing role of Chinese descendants in the country (within Chinese enterprises and new for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ethnic and racial studies 2014-06, Vol.37 (7), p.1239-1252
Main Author: Marsden, Anna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
China
Chinese enterprise
Cultural interaction
Ethnic Identity
Ethnic minorities
Ethnicity
Generations
Identification
Identity
identity and belongings
Immigration
Interaction
Italian-Chinese
Italy
Middle Class
Minority & ethnic groups
Minority Groups
National Identity
Prejudice
prescribed Chineseness
second generation
Social Class
Social Closure
Social exclusion
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Summary:The history of Chinese immigration in Italy is about a century old, but numbers have become consistent in the last decades and the emergence of new generations is a recent phenomenon. This article examines the growing role of Chinese descendants in the country (within Chinese enterprises and new forms of interaction with the mainstream society) and their processes of identity formation, focusing the attention on the role played by Italian society and the dominant prejudices about this ethnic minority. The study highlights the relevance of social exclusion and identity prescription, as well as the importance of class, in determining different feelings of belonging and processes of identification. While a minority of middle-class Chinese have identified with Italy and developed a new hyphenated identity, many Chinese from the lower class appear uncertain about their national identity and react to social exclusion by abandoning hope and dropping out of education.
ISSN:0141-9870
1466-4356
DOI:10.1080/01419870.2014.883082