SHA ZHOU: Chinese Women's Narratives about Settling in Britain [ECR]

There is much scholarship on post-war migration to Britain. However, scholarship on the Chinese in Britain neglects the postwar period, and the experiences of female migrants. Drawing on the voices of twelve women, this paper argues that, against the backdrop of relaxing exit controls in post-1978 China, women utilised socioeconomic resources and navigated accessible routes for crossing regional and national borders, using migration as a means of personal development, and, in some cases, showing pragmatism in seeking to emigrate. This paper expands the historiography of Chinese migration to Britain and adds to our understanding of gender and migration. It indicates that, despite their seeking personal development, Chinese women’s migration was conditioned by family responsibilities, and their narratives of migration incorporated consideration of family members. It highlights how changing policies in China enabled and motivated women’s migration to and permanent settlement in Britain. Teasing out these rationales helps us to rethink the history of ethnic minorities in Britain, moving beyond a (post)imperial framing.

Before joining MCI, Sha Zhou worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies, Jinan University, China, researching Chinese migration history to Britain, 2022-2024. She holds a PhD in Contemporary British History from King’s College, London with a thesis on the migration of Chinese women to post-war Britain. She has published in Cultural and Social History, Women’s History Review and Global China Review [Haiwai Huaren Yanjiu]. Her research at MCI examines Chinese grassroots activism in the twentieth century Britain.

MCI’s ECR 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 Early Career Researchers develop their ideas. Free lunch will be provided.

Host or Publisher The Manchester China Institute