Identity development, acculturation among Bowbazar Chinese community

ABSTRACT

The development of identity is a procedure of individual change that can take place along various spheres of social and cultural domains. The concept of identity is always remaining fundamental in the process of acculturation and adaptation. The prominence or value has been particularly given on Chinese community of Bowbazar which is an enclave community. The study aims to elucidate that the immigrant groups adjust to the host society by persistent identity development especially by adjusting and adapting to altered or homogenize identity which is most supported along with the integration strategies. The study has been conducted on the basis of qualitative approach as well as quantitative approach. Responses from the community revealed, that the Chinese community of Bowbazar Chinatown through ages is not only able to adapt ideals, values, and behaviors of host culture but also able to retain their ideals, values and beliefs of their own cultures of origin.

KEYWORDS:

• Expulsion
• disengagement
• identity
• acculturation
• homogenize

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the unidentified peer reviewers of Asian Ethnicity for their valuable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Min and Kim, “The Paradox of Ethnicization and Assimilation,” 231-251.

2. Hall, “Cultural ldentity and Diaspora,” 393-403.

3. Lawler, Identity Sociological Perspectives,7-13.

4. Smith, “Differentiating Acculturation And Ethnic Identity,” 1-114.

5. Ibid., 4.

6. Ibid., 4.

7. Kroeber, Anthropology.

8. Barry, “ Development of a New Scale for Measuring Acculturation,” 193-197.

9. Ibid., 8.

10. Neto, Barros, and Schnitz, “Acculturation Attitudes and Adaptation,” 19-32.

11. Liu, “Searching for a sense of place,” 26-35.

12. Goffman, The Presentation of Self In Everyday Life, 1-173.

13. Berzonsky, “Self-Construction over the life span,” 155-186.

14. Berger, Invitation to sociology.

15. Schwartaz, Montgomery,Briones, “The Role of Identity in Acculturation,” 1-30.

16. Yancey, Aneshensel, Driscoll. “The Assessment of Ethnic Identity,” 190-208.

17. Ibid., 4.

18. Phinney, “Ethic identity and acculturation,” 63-81.

19. Sodowsky and Lai, “Asian Immigrant Variables and Structural Models,” 199-210.

20. Sodowsky and Maestas, “Acculturation, ethnic identity, and acculturative stress,” 131-172.

21. Ibid., 15.

22. Berry, Poortinga, Seagall, and Dasen, Cross-Cultural Psychology.

23. Berry, “A Psychology of Immigration”, 615-634.

24. Oxfeld, Blood, Sweat, and Mahjong.

25. Bose, “The Kuomintang in India,” 257-269.

26. Ling, Percy Joseph, Interview by Debarchana Biswas, Personal Interview. Bowbazar, 12/05/2016.

27. Liu, Merry, Interview by Debarchana Biswas, Personal Interview. Bowbazar, 12/12/2016.

28. Li, Alan, Interview by Debarchana Biswas, Personal Interview. Bowbazar, 02/18/2017.

29. Chung, Paul, Interview by Debarchana Biswas, Personal Interview. Tangra, 10/12/2016.

30. Liang, Francis, Interview by Debarchana Biswas, Personal Interview. Bowbazar, 05/08/2017.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Debarchana Biswas

Debarchana Biswas is a UGC-Senior Research Fellow, pursuing Ph.D. from Department of Geography, University of Calcutta. Her research interests cover ethnicity, acculturation and various perspectives of social geography.