CfP 6th International Conference of Institutes & Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies in Xiamen, October 15-18, 2015

Dear colleagues,

I am looking for 3-5 scholars who are interested in employing a comparative and structural perspective in the study of the current Chinese migration into countries of the so-called Global South for a panel that I am going to propose to

The 6th International Conference of Institutes & Libraries for Chinese Overseas Studies in Xiamen (October 15-18, 2015) http://overseaschineseconfederation.org/the-sixth-wcilcos/

Panel description:
Since the late 1990s large numbers of Chinese citizens have moved to almost every country of the so-called Global South. Although some moved only temporarily as manual workers, technical staff or managers of Chinese SOEs, the majority moved for their own entrepreneurial projects (as traders, investors, employees or family members). Depending of the destination of their choice these Chinese are confronted with social, political and economic realities that differ greatly from one destination country to another. In this panel we will explore the ways in which the destination countries’ specific political and economic frameworks (policies, state capacities, legal restrictions, customary norms, traditions, power constellations, form of government etc.) impact the selection of migrants (which groups, geographic origin etc.), their main economic activities and their adaptation of practices (economics, corruption, adherence to law etc.), forms of social organization (community building or lack thereof), their perspectives on spatial movement and integration (sojourning, transnationalism, emigration etc.) – and possibly also their perspectives on China as their country of origin. By employing a comparative lens we hope to identify patterns of structural differences across the studied countries as well as constants within these Chinese migrant populations that might point towards a common socio-cultural background of “Chineseness” – or the lack thereof.

Panellists are encouraged to present a comparison between at least two destination countries based on original empirical research, but single country studies are also most welcome.

If you are interested in participating in this panel, please send your paper title, abstract (max. 350 words, including name/s of author/s, affiliation, email address), short bio (max. 150 words) and CV (required by the conference organizers) to karsten.giese@giga-hamburg.de not later than March 10, 2015.

Best regards,
Karsten Giese