The lived experience and sense of place among family sponsored late-age Chinese immigrants in Edmonton
Abstract
Place is powerful in our life because to be human is to be emplaced. In the human geographic interpretation of place, a conceptualization of the emplacement of human experience has been underdeveloped for a long time. This dissertation contributes to this area of inquiry by adopting a phenomenological case study approach to examine family sponsored late-age Chinese immigrants’ lived experience and sense of place in Edmonton, Canada. The focus of this study is to explore the relationship between late-age immigrants and their places at different scales. This work presents how the research participants develop a relationship with place based on their subjective perceptions and experiences. Two studies are presented in this dissertation. Theoretically, this research contributes to a scholarly understanding of the role of place in human life by establishing two frameworks to illustrate the relationships between participants and their places. Substantively, the research challenges the stereotype of sponsored late-age Chinese immigrants in Canada by revealing their roles and contributions in both their families and in society.
Notes
Community organizations: n/a
Key recommendations:
1) Maintain or increase the number of immigrants accepted into the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) to facilitate family reunification.
2) Build more Chinese-specific seniors housing and services in Edmonton.
Location: Edmonton, AB
Future research / gaps identified:
Most participants spoke Mandarin, and those who speak Cantonese or other languages may have different experiences.
Integration timeline: not defined
Key findings:
1) The first study explored how the research participants identify and create a place for themselves in Edmonton, finding that family power relations and self-efficacy affected their place making.
2) The second study compared and contrasted perceptions and experiences of place between two groups of research participants: those who live in urban neighbourhoods and those who live in suburban neighbourhoods. Perceptions and experiences of place were impacted by participants’ age, race, ethnicity and where they live in the city.
Key populations: family sponsored, late-age Chinese immigrants in Edmonton
Open access: Yes