British Chinese history; representation; invisibility; cultural identity; Chineseness
Abstract :
[en] British Chinese history is long and complex, and the lives of many British Chinese individuals are marked by both a sense of belonging and experiences of exclusion and marginalisation. While they have been living in Britain for at least two centuries, their (hi)stories and perspectives are often overlooked. Stereotypical representations, such as the ‘takeaway caterer,’ have contributed to their alleged invisibility as social agents and simultaneous hypervisibility as stereotypes and ‘others.’ The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed this racism, leading to increased hostility but also fostering group solidarity and activism among East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) communities in the UK. This chapter introduces the concept of the volume and the following chapters by emphasising the plurality and complexity of British Chinese cultures and identities, challenging essentialist notions of ‘Chineseness,’ and focusing on British Chinese people’s agency and cultural production.
Disciplines :
Literature
Author, co-author :
NEDER, Judith; Technische Universität Dresden
WINDBERGER, Eva-Maria ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Humanities (DHUM) > English Studies
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
“British Chinese History Is British History”: Situating Contemporary British Chinese Identities, Belongings, and Plurality
Publication date :
10 February 2026
Main work title :
Interdisciplinary Approaches to British Chinese Cultures: Identities, Belongings, Plurality
Author, co-author :
NEDER, Judith; Technische Universität Dresden
WINDBERGER, Eva-Maria ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Humanities (DHUM) > English Studies
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