Doing Family through Fujianese Immigrant Entrepreneurship
About this Event
This PGR workshop draws on my doctoral research on Fujianese immigrant families and family-based entrepreneurship in the UK. It examines how business activity is organised not simply as an economic practice, but as a way of sustaining and reconfiguring transnational family life.
Focusing on first-generation Fujianese immigrant entrepreneurs and their family arrangements, the study asks how family norms, intergenerational obligations, gendered responsibilities and digital communication shape everyday business practices across borders.
Although the project is currently at the stage of preparing for fieldwork and ethics approval, by the time of the workshop I expect to present preliminary empirical reflections and emerging analysis from the early stages of fieldwork. In doing so, it seeks to contribute to China studies by showing how entrepreneurship can be understood as a form of family practice, through which economic survival, moral obligation and transnational belonging are negotiated in everyday life.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kexin Yan is a PhD student in Social Science at the UCL Social Research Institute, University College London. Her doctoral research examines Fujianese immigrant families, transnational family life and family-based entrepreneurship in the UK. Her work explores how business practices, family obligations and digital communication are intertwined in the everyday lives of Chinese immigrant families.
ABOUT THE PGR WORKSHOPS
MCI’s PGR workshops are lunchtime seminars held in person at the Manchester China Institute. They seek to bring together students, faculty and staff who can best provide feedback as postgraduate researchers develop their ideas. Free lunch will be provided.
Accessibility
The MCI is a listed building and therefore does not have any lifts. Please note that you must use the stairs in order to access the venue and the toilets.
Photography
The organisers will be taking photos during this event. If you prefer not to be included in any photos, kindly inform the organisers before the event starts.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
