Ethnic Heterogeneity : A Study of Chinese Students

Abstract

<p>The thesis is concerned with the internal differences of Chinese. In general, there is an assumption that ethnic minority groups are strong and coherent groups. This assumption has also been applied to Chinese groups. My main purpose has been to see if there is evidence of social differentiation among Chinese which would contradict the previous assumptions of other sociologists. The analysis of my data concerning a particular group of Chinese students suggests that external pressure from the host society has not promoted solidarity or cohesion among the subjects. Instead I found that there were distinct subgroups among them, each of them with distinct and different images of the others. Three factors could be established as major causes for internal differentiation, language, knowledge of Chinese culture, and identity. These have been analyzed in detail.</p>