Adaptation and Self-identities of Taiwanese Young Return Migrants
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
Chen, Yu-Chun
Abstract
The number of Taiwanese emigrants has increased greatly since 1980s. Among the various reasons accounting for this increase, rapid economic growth, political instability, an increase of personal income and the relaxation of restrictions permitting citizens to go abroad as tourists starting in 1989 are foremost. Other important factors are the introduction of economic and business migration policies by various countries targeting skilled and entrepreneurial groups.
Recently, there is an increasing number of returning young Taiwanese migrants from abroad. They emigrated earlier with their parents at young age, but have returned as grown-ups. With qualitative research methods, composed of in-depth interviews and semi-structure questionnaires, this research would like to discuss the motivation of these returnees, the adaptation process and self-identities after returning.
Interviewees of this report were from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. There were 35 interviews conducted by snow-ball sampling from July, 2008 to January, 2009. Interviewees were drawn from different professions such as finance, commerce, computer sciences, information technology, and biological engineering.
This report indicates young migrants returned for multiple considerations including family and marriage reasons, getting better jobs, escaping serious economic recession and so forth. Even born and living in Taiwan before, returnees still had to experience re-adaptation process. The factors of re-adaptation are including individual reasons, such as age, sex, personal experiences, and the influence from the majority in the host countries.
According to the content of interviews, most returnees considerate they are Taiwanese. This choice reveals the decision of returnees to stay in Taiwan and the connection between them and hometown although some interviewees are still uncertain about their identities. Most returnees said they may stay permanently in Taiwan while 7 interviewees have planed re-emigration in the future.
Subjects
return migrant
1.5 generation
adaptation
self-identiy
qualitative research
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