Before God and the Ancestors: Negotiating Rituals and Symbols for Mixed-Faith Weddings in China
Bram Colijn
In the context of the broad revival of popular Chinese religion and the swift ascendance of Chinese
Protestantism, this project will explore how rituals and symbols are negotiated for mixed-faith
weddings in China. Bringing together partners, families, clergy, and communities, mixed-faith
weddings can be considered excellent moments of interaction between actors of different religious
orientations. In light of Deutsch's (1973, 2006) theory, analysis will focus on cooperation and
competition before, during, and after weddings. The author will carry out at least 60 semi-structured
interviews and participant observation among 18 families in both rural and urban areas. Selection of
participant families is based on religious plurality and migration history. Central themes of this project
are interfaith conflict resolution; the influence of local faith-based communities over wedding symbols;
and the effects of migration and religious pluralization on Chinese family life.
New Frontiers for Transnational Chinese Women: Gendered Identities of Chinese Female Migrants in
Ghana
J.E. Zoetelief
This fieldwork-based research project aimed to understand the emerging new Chinese female migrant
in Ghana. Although the gender aspects of domestic Chinese migration receive a lot of scholarly
attention, the pioneering group of Chinese women, that migrate to new frontier destinations like Africa,
is merely overlooked. Whereas studying the geo-political and economic impact of China’s
involvement in Africa on a macro level seems the main focus of current China in Africa scholarship,
the human stories of the migrating individuals that are part of the greater China in Africa discourse are
often disregarded. This research will fill this scientific gap by complementing the existing literature
with a micro-level ethnographic analysis. This study will give insights in the undocumented life
experiences, personal backgrounds and behavior of Chinese female migrants in Ghana. In addition,
questions about the social consequences of migration in regard to the (traditional Chinese) identity and
gender role, as well as the issue of intercultural communication will be addressed.
From Mumbai to Manila: The New Pattern of Expatriate Labor Movement
Jofelle Tesorio
The Philippines is not considered as a traditional destination for Indian migrants. But over the years,
there has been a steady increase of Indian expatriates due to the strengthening presence of Indian
companies in the country, notably in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. This research will
focus on the new generation of Indian migrants in the Philippines against the backdrop of the
internationalization of Indian businesses where migration is a consequence. Migration of skilled
professionals from developing countries is usually towards developed countries where wages are high
and where labor and living conditions are better. The migration of Indian expatriates to the Philippines
can be considered as a new phenomenon because the labor movement is from one developing country
to another developing country. Studying this pattern of South-South migration adds to the
understanding of the movement of skilled labor through Asian multinational companies.
The Lives of Sea turtles: The Effect of Return Migration to China.
Willy Sier
This research follows some of the currently almost 190.000 Chinese citizens that return to China
yearly after having spent a period abroad, often to pursue a University degree. The number of return
migrants to China has grown rapidly in recent years, in correspondence with China's rapid economic
growth. This research investigates how this group of migrants experiences their return to China and
reveals how the period spent abroad has influenced them and how they experience the process of reintegration in their own country. In this research the focus is on family relations and the way return
migrants conduct their personal family lives. Research data will be gathered through interviews and
observations in the period between January and April 2013.