In-Person Panel PS7.5

Resilient Journeys: Ethnicity, Class and Migration in Modern Asia

“Weak” Platforms as Refuge for Marginalized Groups: An Exploration of the “University Students from Rural Areas” Group on Douban 

Tingting Liu 

In the era of platformisation, studies depict platforms as central to the digital economy and cultural production, primarily focusing on “central platforms” with significant commercial and socio-technical influence. To broaden this perspective, this paper introduces the concept of a “weak platform.” Such platforms may have a smaller market share, limited monetisation capacity, and a less dominant relationship with their users, advertisers, and third-party entities. However, they tend to be culturally more inclusive. To develop this concept, we explore Douban, a Chinese community platform centred on film recommendations and interest-based groups. Employing ethnographic research, this study examines how the group “University Students from Rural Areas” significantly shapes the identities of individuals from rural areas, bringing together strangers to discuss challenges and mental stress stemming from urban-rural divides, torn intergenerational relationships caused by labour migration, and to share strategies for urban survival and job-seeking. Within China’s social media sphere, where intense monetization strategies and dominant platforms prevail, Douban emerges as a unique, safer space for marginalized users to freely express themselves. The group’s affinity for this platform underscores the connection between marginalized communities and weaker platforms, casting Douban as an “online refuge for those disadvantaged” during challenging societal shifts.

Young Temporary Visa Holders: Aspirations Shaped by Ethnicity and Class 

Sylvia Ang 

Studies have established that temporary visa holders frequently aspire towards ongoing and flexible mobility, rather than permanent settlement (Harris et al 2020; Robertson, 2021). Few studies, however, have explicitly investigated the link between their aspirations, nationality, ethnic identity and class. This paper uses the case study of Australia to investigate these links. Australia has recently committed to moving away from short-term migration toward permanent pathways for migrant workers. In addition to increasing the migration cap, the federal government expanded ways for international students to stay in Australia such as extending the length of the Temporary Graduate Visa. Temporary graduate visa holders (TGVH) are targeted by Australia as most are young and have middle-class backgrounds. However, Australia's ongoing interventions fail to consider a fundamental consideration of TGVH when deciding whether to leave or stay - their diverse backgrounds and their heterogeneous aspirations. This paper will examine the aspirations of TGVH (21 - 35 years old) with diverse backgrounds (nationality, ethnicity, class) in Australia. Specifically, it will investigate how their aspirations shape and are shaped by their nationality, ethnic identity and class. In doing so, this paper aims to contribute to studies on transnational youth mobility, class and ethnicity.

Cultivating Resilience in Yiguandao’s Buddha Hall: A Case Study of Chinese Guest Workers in Singapore’s Construction Industry 

Hung-Jen Yang 

Since 1985, a lot of Chinese guest workers have migrated to Singapore to earn a better living for their family. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were an estimated 200,000 Chinese male workers in Singapore’s construction industry every year. Some important researchers point out, the “temporary migration regime,” “enclosure,” “non-integration” and “immobility” policies are the major characteristics of Singapore’s governance. Located in the “enclosure” condition, they could enjoy their free time only in the newly-formed ethnic enclave, Geylang. However, beyond the ethnic enclave, these Chinese workers might join “religious enclaves” that welcomed them as new converts. Besides very few Chinese churches trying to proselytize these workers, dense networks of Yiguandao’s Buddha halls established by the Singaporean Chinese invited them to share vegetarian food and attend lectures on Chinese classics. Yiguandao, a Chinese syncretic religion, though outlawed by the PRC government, has been transmitted from Taiwan to Singapore since the early 1970s. This research aims to discuss, in the “religious enclave” of Yiguandao, how Chinese guest workers cultivated not only the Dao but also resilience to cope with the harsh conditions of the “enclosure” circumstances, and to survive under the heavy regulation of the PRC government when they returned back to China.

Transnational Experience of Taiwanese Working Holiday Makers

Zoe Wang

Taiwanese Working Holiday Makers (WHMs) is among the top WHM group in Australia. This paper investigates the experience of Taiwanese backpackers in rural Australia by analysing in-depth interviews. The dominated narrative of Taiwanese backpackers, which is heavily influenced by the conventional media, has painted the image of the group as “exploited labourers”. Nevertheless, Taiwanese youth working and travelling in rural Australia demonstrate a high level of agency and diversity, and often a strong desire to live and work in rural area. This paper will unpack the nuance of the transnational experience of the Taiwanese WHM group and thus hope to demystify the “exploited” experience of the Taiwanese backpackers