Abstract
The effects of migration on identity and the social position of Chinese women in Belgium were examined from an intergenerational perspective. At the macro level, policies and the general discourse on migration and migrants in Belgium were examined to assess the level of inclusion or exclusion of Chinese women. At the meso and micro levels, in-depth interviews suggest that the intergenerational transfer of identities and affiliations requires a significant amount of goodwill and ability to reinterpret and re-create adaptations that are acceptable to first and second-generation migrants. Social mobility among the first generation was mainly financial independence and autonomy, which opened up educational opportunities for their children. Those in the intermediate generation (those born in Hong Kong but who grew up in Belgium) realized that educational success was an important avenue for social mobility, particularly for daughters. In the patrilineal system of Chinese families, which persisted in Belgium, daughters are considered dependent members of the family and they have to fend for themselves if they want to be the author of their own life. The experience of a small number of successful Chinese female professionals supports this point. Presently, an increasing number of second-generation youngsters are attending school. They experience discrimination in varying degrees, suggesting that the othering process of Chinese females remains a problem in the realization of a truly pluralist society.
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