undergraduate dissertation on nationality - looking for help from expats in hong kong

Dear All,


I am currently a second-year geography undergraduate at Cambridge University in the UK. I am coming over to Hong Kong in August, in order to conduct research for my final year dissertation. I am intending to focus my research on expatriates in Hong Kong, looking at the ways in which national identity is retained, both at home and in social groups etc.


I am attempting to find out whether the importance of a national identity is gradually being diminished for those living and working away from their country of origin, or whether nationality remains a central part of people’s daily lives.


I was just wondering if I could get some initial thoughts on this, so I can think about how I will structure my ideas and research.

As an expat, do you consider yourself to be a ‘global citizen’ or ‘global nomad’? Or do you consider that your distinct national identity remains important whilst living in a different country?


How is your nationality reinforced in your daily life? (i.e. through your social activities, the friends you have, the food you eat?) Do you socialise mostly with people of your own nationality?


Thank you very much for your help! It would be very useful to get a few ideas of the directions my research might take.

Just a thought with the timing of your visit - many of the expats living in HK are elsewhere in August - Holiday Season! However, your dissertation question is an interesting one. Are you going to distinguish between the expats that come to Hk on a two year contract, those that have lived here many years and those that move from country to country. I imagine each of these groups would give you very different responses. One thought is that many of the international schools have parents associations and may be worth approaching for their opinions. Good luck with it.

As hyperhippo (great screen name BTW) says there is a big different between those who stay for the short term, those who stay longer, and those who move around.


"As an expat, do you consider yourself to be a ‘global citizen’ or ‘global nomad’?


I definitely am a "global citizen" by now, after ten years out of my native Sweden (plus 2 years in the 90s). No thoughts of going back either. Out kids will be the interesting ones. Who knows what they will do?


Maybe it is a state of mind. I made a conscious decision not to do Swedish things just because they were Swedish, but to try to take the good from various cultures. It requires an open mind which most expats have to some degree.


My wife and I have certain goals and we don't "need" our nation to pursue them. We will go where required to achieve those goals if you will. It is a surrender of "stay home where it is safe" for "go where you need to go in order to do what you want to do".




"Or do you consider that your distinct national identity remains important whilst living in a different country?"


Very much depends on the nationality.


I think for Swedes, it is forcibly less important since there aren't so many of us. By contrast, the French expats, just to take one example, are a large group with a strong social network, a school and so forth. French kids often play with French kids for example. Our kids can't pick and choose that way.


I would say some groups are large enough to retain a strong intra-nationality social group and thus a stronger sense of identity. Americans, French, Brits and Aussies come to mind. Some of those groups are more "exclusive" than others, if you will. Even Italians, a relatively small group, are strongly social with Italians, to the degree that their English often suffers.



"How is your nationality reinforced in your daily life?"

- Holiday and birthday traditions.

- Spoken language at home is Swedish.

- Books in Swedish.

- Swedish social mores in concepts like child rearing and parental relationships.

Yes, I have realised that the timing will be an issue! Unfortunately, I am only free during this time due to other commitments and my university term dates. I will be in Hong Kong from the 12th August until the 9th September, so I am hoping that this will be towards the end of holiday season, and that people will be coming back for work/school etc...?


Thank you for the idea of the parents associations! I will look into that.


And yes, I am intending to distinguish between the different types of expats, looking particularly at those who have been in Hong Kong for many years, and those who have moved around a lot, as I think that they are more likely to identify with the idea of a 'global nomad' or 'global citizen' than those who are only in hk on a short term contract.

and thank you very much for your answers axpatguy38!