Foreword by the editors

Abstract

This volume is largely based on the papers delivered in two sessions of the conference “Chinese Immigrants in Europe: Image, Identity and Social Participation.” The first conference was initiated and organized by Liu Yue and took place from 15 to 16 September 2017 at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou (China). The second one was organized by Wang Simeng and held on 16 August 2018 at The Paris Institute of Political Studies (France). The coastal province of Zhejiang, with the capital of Hangzhou, has been the largest sending region of Chinese emigrants for more than 40 years. The motivation behind organizing the two conference sessions was to make a topical contribution from the two important sending and receiving regions of Chinese international migrants to the research field of (new) Chinese immigrants in Europe and to provide multidisciplinary answers to all relevant open questions. We believe that, by dealing with the current situation of Chinese immigration in Europe and its trends, key insights can be gained in relation to both the target group, and the situation and developmental trends of other (ethnic) minority groups in other relevant European countries. We would like to express our gratitude to all of the participants at the aforementioned conferences, who provided cutting-edge, inspiring stimuli during discussions, and to all of our authors, who have introduced and discussed this highly complex field of research with their respective professional insights into its various facets. The research program “Cultural Identities of Young Generations of Chinese Immigrants in Europe” (14CMZ042, 2015–2019), which was funded by the National Social Science Fund of China and led by Liu Yue, laid the foundations for the scholarly framework that enabled the publication of the present volume. The interdisciplinary research program “Chinese of France: Identifications and Identities in Transition” (2018–2020), co-directed by Wang Simeng and funded by the City of Paris, France, has also supported the publication of this book both academically and financially. We would also like to thank Dr. Anja-Simone Michalski and Dr. Lydia White for their editorial support, and Ms. Meiken Endruweit, Dr. Sandra van Lente and Ms. Sridevi Padmanabhan, who proofread the manuscripts. Without the support of all these participants, it would not have been possible to realize this volume.