Open AccessThe Role of Family in the Construction of Traditions among Second-Generation Chinese Immigrants in Hungary
Author(s) -
Eszter Knyihár,
Gergely Salát
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
távol-keleti tanulmányok
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2786-2976
pISSN - 2060-9655
DOI - 10.38144/tkt.2021.1.13
Subject(s) - multiculturalism , immigration , diaspora , construct (python library) , negotiation , flexibility (engineering) , identity (music) , acculturation , sociology , gender studies , first generation , cultural identity , political science , social science , aesthetics , law , population , demography , pedagogy , statistics , philosophy , mathematics , computer science , programming language
Previous research conducted in Hungary has shown that second generation Chinese immigrants construct a complex, multicultural identity which contains elements from the cultural environment created by the host society, the migrant diaspora, the family of the migrant and the country of origin as well. This paper presents the findings of an interview-based research project conducted in Hungary with the involvement of 20 second-generation Chinese immigrants and seeks to examine the complexity of their cultural identity, focussing especially the role of the family in the construction of traditions. According to our findings we argue that in the family setting, there is constant negotiation between generations regarding norms and traditions, which reveal different priorities. In this article I show that those areas where the most negotiations occur also overlap with the fields of increased parental interest and control, namely: education, dating/marriage, and language. I also discuss how holidays celebrated by the family show a high degree of flexibility and mixed solutions, involving cultural elements from both the host society and the country of origin.