The Role of Food in Transnational Migration of Chinese International Students in the United States

• In Event: 2384 - Section on International Migration Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 04. Diaspora and Identity

Abstract

In the United States, the number of international students in higher education institutions has been over one million. Yet, little is known about the social life of international students outside of campus and academic realm as well as their relationships with co-ethnic communities. During my visits to the Chinatown in Flushing, Queens, New York, I noticed a trendy phenomenon that many Chinese international students moved away from campuses and gathered in Flushing in the name of seeking authentic Chinese food. Based on an eight-month ethnographic fieldwork in Flushing, this research investigates the role of food in the transnational migration of Chinese international students and how does food connect Chinese students and the enclave. Through participant observation and interviews, I examine how food has been shaping the transnational experience of Chinese students physically, psychologically, and socially from a transmigrant perspective. Findings show that moving into the enclave for ethnic food allows food to perform multifunctions to satisfy Chinese students but also brings constraints for Chinese students in participating in intercultural communication and establishing intergroup friendships with American peers. Despite the fact that this choice could reinforce Chinese students’ isolation and self-segregation from American campuses and society, the dedication to pursue eating preference rather than being passively forced to assimilate and integrate into American campuses or society demonstrates Chinese students’ autonomy and agency strongly. They choose an alternative way to achieve their academic or professional goals and to obtain opportunities to benefit their futures, which is different from the traditional American mainstream perspective of integration.

Author

• Yue Zhu