This research investigates how three generations of Hong Kong Chinese migrants living in Newcastle (re)negotiate their identities in the context of local and global social changes. Despite the diverse nature of the Chinese diaspora, ‘Chineseness’ is often essentialised in both academic discourse and public imagination. Existing studies within the broader literature on multiculturalism and ethnic diversity in Britain offer limited insight into the nuanced identity practices of this group. The proposed research challenges the ‘model minority’ narrative whilst examining the persistent and evolving challenges they have faced and internal tensions within the Chinese ethnic group, which influences their identity negotiation. Grounded in Stuart Hall’s theory of cultural identity, Virinder Kalra et al.’s concept of hybrid identity, and Avtar Brah’s diaspora space, this research examines how Hong Kong Chinese migrants (re)define their Chineseness and Britishness, resist or reproduce dominant representations of ‘The Chinese,’ and explores the interplay between their Chineseness and meanings, emotions and belonging ascribed to particular places. The intergenerational approach allows me to examine how persistent and evolving challenges intersect with each generation and how each generation navigates their sense of identity. Employing a mixed-methods approach with four families contextualised within a wider piece of community-based ethnographic fieldwork, the study combines semi-structured life-history interviews with mood board creation, participant observation, and repeated small-group interviews. The findings aim to advance theoretical understandings of identity formation within diasporic contexts, challenging homogenised notions of Chineseness.
After moving to Newcastle in 2012, I became connected with the Hong Kong Chinese community. I developed a strong interest in how this group navigates British society and the factors behind the strong sense of community they have built. I am particularly fascinated by the first generation’s migration histories and by how historical and contemporary factors shape their collective identity today. This interest motivated me to pursue undergraduate study as a mature student and to continue my academic journey.
