Chinese in Otherness

Chinese Among Others: Emigration in Modern Times

"The Chinese Among the Others: A History of Modern Chinese Immigration" employs a grand narrative approach, weaving the 500-year history of Chinese immigration into the world into the larger framework of concurrent global developments and changes. This book is a profound and insightful read. More importantly, while presenting a fascinating panorama of 500 years of global Chinese immigration, Professor Kong powerfully demonstrates his crucial point: the history of overseas Chinese is an integral part of Chinese history and an indispensable component of the study of Chinese history. This has elevated the study of overseas Chinese to a new level.
From colonial rulers to enslaved subjects, from the ruling cliques of post-independence nation-states to the intellectual elites brimming with nationalist fervor; from the domineering tycoons to the ordinary people struggling to make ends meet, the relationship between the "Chinese" and the "others" surrounding them presents a complex interplay. As outsiders, overseas Chinese need to understand and coexist with the "others." In turn, the latter constantly scrutinize these strangers: Are they new friends with whom they can peacefully coexist and seek common development, or are they aliens with ulterior motives? Do they bring new benefits and opportunities, potential troublemakers, or simply sworn enemies? For centuries, immigrants and locals have been mutually "others," a relationship characterized by understanding and dependence, but also by competition and confrontation. In "The Chinese in Otherness: A History of Modern Chinese Immigration," Professor Kong again demonstrates the socio-psychological analysis he masterfully employed in "Calling Souls," meticulously analyzing the "otherness" within which Chinese immigrants find themselves.

2016-03-01

江苏人民出版社

475

9787214173881