Pre-Conference: The Chinese Diaspora in the Americas: Tracing Transnational Communities, Enterprises, and Trajectories

Session Submission Type: Meeting

Abstract

As global economic dynamism shifts to Asia and trans-Pacific connections intensify, Chinese diasporic communities in the Americas have taken on new importance for politicians, business leaders, and urban planners alike. For some, Chinese associations, small enterprises, and cultural activities represent the human face of China and can play a critical role in facilitating economic flows and bilateral trust. For others, Chinese communities are a crucial source of urban development and a potent constituency on the local political landscape. For overseas Chinese, China’s global ascendance has meant both new opportunities to capitalize on trans-Pacific networks and knowledge, as well as vulnerability to a new generation of nativist attacks and local fears of economic monopolization. These diverse interpretations illuminate the profound impact of Chinese institutions, associations, and individuals on the historical formation and contemporary development of Latin American cities and identities.

Organized by the LASA Section for Asia and the Americas in collaboration with the City University of New York - Queens College, this workshop explores local and global understandings of Chinese migration, settlement, and entrepreneurship. Community leaders from the vibrant Chinatown of Flushing, Queens, join with scholars of Asian diaspora studies to compare perspectives on the past, present, and future of Chinese transnationalism and its resultant urban formations and politics. Attendance is free but as space is limited please register your interest with the Section for Asia and the Americas co-chairs Adrian Hearn (a.hearn@unimelb.edu.au) or Monica Dehart (mdehart@pugetsound.edu).

Sub Track

• Special Events / Meetings

Contact People

• Monica C Dehart, University of Puget Sound

• Adrian H Hearn, University of Melbourne