Negotiating balance of cultures among Chinese Australians to facilitate ageing well

Presented by: A/Prof Shuang Liu

Date: Friday 29 April 2022
Time: 12–1pm
Location: Online via Zoom 


Abstract

For older people of migrant background, life in their settlement country, which they call home, is always imbued with heritage and settlement cultures. This paper reports a study that investigates the processes through which older Chinese Australians negotiate a balance between heritage and settlement cultures in Australia. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 18 older China-born Chinese Australians, most of whom immigrated to Australia for the sake of joining the family of their adult children in Australia. Thematic analysis identified three ways by which older Chinese Australians achieve a balance between cultures: adhering to Chinese food while incorporating western influence; preserving Chinese traditions while adjusting to Australian culture; and maintaining Chinese family relations while embracing change in traditional practice. These findings highlight the importance of cultural continuity in contributing to older migrants’ well-being. The paper argues that the continuity of heritage culture and identity can facilitate older migrants’ link to the Australian culture and enhance their well-being.


Presenter

Shuang Liu is an associate professor in the School of Communication and Arts at UQ. She is an internationally recognised intercultural communication expert, with a special research focus on migration and ageing. Shuang works closely with community service providers to translate her research into policy and practice relevant knowledge to enable older Australians from diverse cultural backgrounds to age well in a foreign land.


 

About Research Seminar and Workshop Series

 


School of Communication and Arts Research Seminar Series

The research seminar and workshop series occur each semester, each with a different topic and guest speaker from UQ or otherwise.

Friday, 4 August
12-1pm

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at the
SCA Writer's Studio
(Level 6, Michie)

After the Future: Heat, Collapse, and Exhausting the “Future of Work”

Dr Luke Munn

Friday, 25 August
12-1pm

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at the
SCA Writer's Studio
(Level 6, Michie)

Promoting children’s environmental responsibility in the EFL classroomDr Valentina Adami

Friday, 1 September
12-1pm

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at the
SCA Writer's Studio
(Level 6, Michie)

Write FOR your reader vs. writing WITH your reader: human-centred design in professional communication

and

Portraying Asian-diasporic identity beyond the limits of the literary label Asian-Australian

Catriona Arthy

and

Olivia De Zilva

Friday, 8 September
12-1pm

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at the
SCA Writer's Studio
(Level 6, Michie)

Exploring Digital Humanities through the Lens of Journalism: A Case Study of Reader Comment Analysis

Dr Lujain Shafeeq

Friday, 15 September
12-1pm

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at the
SCA Writer's Studio
(Level 6, Michie)

The Medicalised Body - On Illness, Humour, and Sexuality

and

Talkin about the thing that stops me writing about the thing Im talkin about: Hacking and Hofstadter on the looping effect of diagnostic labels and writing the strange double

Carly-Jay Metcalfe and Bianca Millroy

Friday, 22 September
12-1pm

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at the
SCA Writer's Studio
(Level 6, Michie)

Coping with eco-anxiety: A guided journal trialDr Ans Vercammen and Dr Skye Doherty

 

Venue

Online via Zoom