Chinese Returnees Research Articles

Navigating double liminality: Chinese returnees’ gendered experiences during border-crossing amidst COVID-19

In this study, we examine the gendered experiences of Chinese returnees within a double liminality formed by prolonged border crossing and the COVID-19. Through qualitative interviews, we identified three themes based on features of liminality observed by Victor Turner: 1) gender norms ostensibly challenged but actually reinforced in the anti-structure, 2) kinship and romantic relationships renegotiated for comradeship, and 3) gender awareness gained through personal reflexivity. We seek to uncover the profound effects of these experiences within a complex space-time construct between points of departure from host countries and arrival at home. We hope to enrich scholarly discussions of gender dynamics observed in transnational mobility during a global health crisis and facilitate policy makers’ recognition of the gendered disparities in treatment for physical and mental suffering during a pandemic border-crossing.

The shifting landscape of international higher education: Why Chinese returnees with overseas degrees come back for doctoral studies?

ABSTRACT The post-pandemic era might witness a shifting landscape of international higher education, partially reflected by a restructuring of international student mobility (ISM) patterns. Notably, there is a nascent trend of Chinese returnees with degrees from Anglo-American universities pursuing doctoral studies at home. Previous research concentrates on the motivations of Chinese students learning abroad and the experiences of foreign students in China; understanding of the ‘reverse’ mobility of Chinese returnees is thin. This empirical study unveils the underlying incentives behind Chinese students’ decision to return for doctoral degrees through an analytical framework exploring asymmetrical power relationships among ISM actors. 23 doctoral candidates/graduates from eight Chinese universities participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal a narrowed gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) doctoral education between Chinese and Anglophone universities. The promising industries and life prospects at China’s megacities impel Chinese overseas students to return earlier for career paths. Meanwhile, they have suffered from multiple risks abroad including outsider identity, xenophobia, and safety concerns, while enjoying privileges for doctoral enrollment at home. As repositioning its peripheral status, China still has a lot to improve in the institutionalization of the application-assessment doctoral admission system, internationalization of the doctoral curriculum, and quality assurance of pedagogical practices.

The darkness of reacculturation: examining factors influencing depression among Chinese international student returnees in the post-COVID-19 era.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reintegration of Chinese international student returnees intersects with China's critical effort to combat a significant brain drain of highly skilled talents, highlighting an unprecedented psychological battleground. This convergence underscores the urgent need for nuanced research to navigate the uncharted territory of their mental health. Employing Bayesian analysis supported by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, this study examined depression prevalence and associated factors among 1,014 Chinese returnees. The sample comprised 44.87% male participants (455), 51.58% female participants (523), and 3.55% identifying as "Others" (36), with an age distribution of 61.74% aged 18-30 (626), 28.80% aged 31-40 (292), and 9.47% aged 41-50 (96). The mean age of participants was 29.6 years, ranging from 18 to 50 years. PHQ-9 diagnoses revealed alarming levels of depression, with 47.9% exhibiting a moderately severe degree of depressive disorder. Our findings highlight the intricate interplay between identity clusters- "homestayers" (those leaning towards a Chinese cultural identity), "navigators" (those with a bicultural identity), and "wayfarers" (those leaning towards a foreign cultural identity)-and the likelihood of depression. Specifically, homestayers showed a clear and strong negative association, navigators demonstrated a positive association, and wayfarers had a positive yet unclear correlation with depression levels. Furthermore, acculturation, age, and gender showed no significant effects, whereas education mildly mitigated depression. Based on these findings, we suggest the implementation of better-tailored mental health support and policies to facilitate smoother reintegration.

Mental health and early career adaptation challenges of Chinese returnees and Korean ambitionists among the STEAM doctoral cohorts in the post-pandemic academic job market

ABSTRACT This longitudinal study presents a critical phenomenological comparison of mental health and early career adaptation challenges encountered by Chinese returnees and Korean ambitionists in the post-pandemic academic job market. They were international doctoral candidates in American higher education pursuing academic careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) but failed to secure tenure-track faculty positions. Consequently, all Chinese returned to their home country, while all Koreans remained in the United States. Findings demonstrate that both groups commonly experienced racial trauma, career anxiety, and ambiguous loss, albeit within each group’s diverse circumstances and immigration status, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study suggests implementing trauma-informed care within the chaos theory of careers. Therefore, this study calls upon the global public, intellectual societies, policymakers, and counsellors in comparative and international education to develop appropriate coping strategies and provide these emerging scholars with mental health counselling and career support services.

“Writing by oneself is too lonely”: Understanding Chinese returnee scholars’ English collaborative writing experiences in academic publishing

Chinese returnee scholars' trans-spatial integration and identity (re)construction have received considerable attention in recent discussions. However, their collaborative academic writing practices in English have been relatively neglected in research. This paper addresses this gap by examining how a group of Chinese returnees engage in collaborative English writing for publication, aiming not only to navigate the challenges of competitive academia but also to excel within it. The concept of community of practice is used as a lens to analyze these returnees' motivation in seeking collaboration in English writing. The examination encompasses the affordances derived from such collaborative efforts and the subsequent impact on the scholars' (re)constructed identities. The paper explores their perceptions of how collaborative writing has built their professional social capital and strengthened their identity as academics. This study contributes to understanding Chinese returnee scholars' international publishing practices and urges universities to reconsider their policy when assessing scholars’ collaborative writing and publishing practices.

Literature Review of Home Care for First-Generation Chinese Returnees

Literature Review of Home Care for First-Generation Chinese Returnees

Impact of Return Migration on the Employment Structure of Non-Migrants: Evidence from Rural China

Research on the impact of returnees on rural economic development in China is scarce with the increasing number of migrant workers returning to the countryside from Chinese cities. Data from China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS) of 2014 and 2016 are used in this paper, attempting to discuss this issue from the perspective of the impact of returnees on the employment of the non-migrant labor force based on occupational skill structure. It is found that the higher the proportion of returnees at the county level is, the more non-migrants will shift to non-agricultural areas after controlling for the exogenous factors of returning reason. Stayers are more likely to work in the medium-skilled secondary industry and construction and escape away from the low-skilled service sector. Off-farm job opportunity and peer effect may be two main channels of returnees to influence job structure of non-migrants. This paper provides empirical evidence on the contribution of Chinese returnees to non-agricultural economic development in rural areas.

The overseas background of Chinese returnee energy scientists.

In an attempt to uncover the international affiliations impacting the Chinese energy sector, this study applies the method of Curriculum Vitae Analysis (CV Analysis) to explore the overseas background of Chinese returnee energy scientists. The investigation focuses on a representative group of scientists hailing from China's distinguished "985" project research universities. From the available online CVs, we gathered data and identified the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom as the primary host countries that facilitate the growth and learning of these energy scientists. We also noted a concurrent surge in scientists return to China after acquiring academic and professional experience in prestigious global universities. This study thereby illuminates the evolving patterns of Chinese energy scientists' global mobility and return migration.

Returning home and becoming alumni faculty: dual academic networks and their impact on Chinese returnee faculty’s professional development satisfaction

Returning home and becoming alumni faculty: dual academic networks and their impact on Chinese returnee faculty’s professional development satisfaction

Identity (re)construction, return destination selection and place attachment among Chinese academic returnees: A case study of Guangzhou, China

As Chinese cities are issuing talent attraction policies for foreign-educated professionals, there have been waves of Chinese academic migrants returning to the homeland. By using the transnationalism/trans-locality framework and based on 30 in-depth interviews in Guangzhou, this paper studies the identity (re)construction process of skilled Chinese returnees and their integration into destination cities after returning. First, the identity negotiation of academic returnees from the time when they were overseas is investigated, and how their reconstructed identities affect their return destination choice is explored. Meanwhile, the academic returnees' dual place selection rationale is analyzed, how a globalizing city and intellectual gateway like Guangzhou in a developing country acts to attract talents is revealed, and whether its sociocultural environment facilitates or hinders returnees' integration and attachment to the city of residence is uncovered. This paper contributes to the broader migration literature by providing a micro-level detailed analysis of skilled migrants' professional and daily experience after they return to their home country in the Global South. Also, it provides some talent policy implications for higher-education administrations and local governments.

A Literature Review on Mental Health Among Japanese War-Displaced Orphans and Their Families Returned from China

Purpose: This study is focusing on the mental health issue of Japanese who had been left behind in mainland China in confusion after World War Ⅱ in 1945, then returned to Japan due to the policy with the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in 1972. Their language, customs, values, etc., are tinged with the temperament of the Chinese cultural region. This study reports on the changes in mental health issues among the returnees over time. Method: This study investigates original papers published after 1972 when diplomatic relations between Japan and China were normalized. Moreover, we quote Ichushi (Japan Medical Abstracts Society)- Web, the most used medical publications database in Japan. As an ethical consideration, we quoted the original text as faithfully as possible so as not to infringe copyright. Result: Eleven prior research from the original papers were analyzed in this study. The research at that time were peaked in 1990. Also, the period of the research was conducted in three separate times, 1st, over three and ten years after returning to Japan. In the early years, many studies focused on psychological adjustment and analysis of background factors. Since the beginning of the 2000s, health concerns increased due to the aging. Many returnees had mental health problems, language barriers and cultural differences economic anxiety and the lack resources, and they had continued to be psychological causes of mental health. Conclusion: Mental health problems among China returnees remained a serious health problem even after a long period of time. For aging Chinese returnees to lead safe and happy lives in Japan, it is important to provide Chinese-language care services and have an abundance of spirituality. In addition, the effort to take cultural differences into account for the health supports and nursing care services is also essential.

Is the research performance of Chinese returnees better than that of their local counterparts?

Is the research performance of Chinese returnees better than that of their local counterparts?

Interplay between language and identity: Chinese returnee scholars in the internationalisation of higher education

Abstract Returnee scholars are regarded as key agents to advance internationalisation in many non-Anglophone countries where internationalisation through the medium of English has raised concerns about the preservation of national language, culture, and identity. This study investigated how eight Chinese returnee scholars used their linguistic repertoires in their professional practice and daily lives and how their language practices interacted with multiple identities. Gathering data from a questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and regular class observations, this study reveals that in research, all participants predominantly used English and many expressed concerns about their Chinese academic writing skills. In teaching and daily lives, most participants embraced bilingualism and were open to translingual practices. The participants’ language practices appeared to be linked to their self-conception as competent English users and English-mediated ideal professional identities. However, their bilingual practices did not correspond to a bicultural identity, indicating a disconnect between language use and cultural belonging. Drawing on the findings, suggestions are offered for institution- and state-level authorities to better facilitate the integration of returnee scholars into their home academic communities and to promote academic multilingualism.

International Engagement or Local Commitment? Investigating the Publication Practices of Chinese Returnee Scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences

A growing number of PhD scholars graduated from Western universities are returning to China, and this raises a range of research topics for scholars. Previous studies of these returnee scholars have mainly focused on the challenges of publishing in English but have ignored their difficulties in choosing between international and/or local academic communities. Academic publishing is regarded as a social practice in this study. Based on the data collected from 102 Chinese returnee scholars in the humanities and social sciences and drawing on the concept of discourse community, it is found that these volunteers’ publication practices are shaped by the culturally specific academic norms established in particular academic communities. This study highlights the differences between international and local discourse communities and identifies factors influencing Chinese returnee scholars’ publication practices. The ways in which they seek to exercise agency and strategies for publishing in the international and local academic communities are considered. The complexity of these returnee scholars’ publication practices is revealed through their lived experiences, adding depth and detail to current research into returnee scholars across the globe.

Mismatched expectations of internationalisation: Lived experiences of Chinese returnee academics in an international joint university

This study examines the lived experiences of Chinese academic returnee staff working in a joint venture university in China. Through in-depth interviews with 11 Chinese returnees, we explore their expectations and experiences working in an internationalised university environment following an international degree overseas. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of field and habitus as an analytic lens, the findings identify the ways that returnees imagine or expect internationalised habitus and field in the unique design of joint venture universities. Yet, through participant reflection on policies towards 100% English Medium Instruction (EMI) and internationalised curricula, we identified experienced tensions between the institution’s aim to internationalise the campus and its perceived effectiveness in implementation. Many returnees spoke of Sino-foreign institutions as a substitute for the field of Western academia, and reported challenges with implementing EMI policies that caused them to rely more on their Chinese than their international experiences which ran counter to their expectations. This analysis adds nuances to the inter-relationship between field and habitus by analysing the reasons for mismatched expectations and the way individuals engage with their own habitus in response. This article concludes by outlining implications for transnational higher education in China and other host countries.

Facing Rootlessness: Language and Identity Construction in Teaching and Research Practices Among Bilingual Returnee Scholars in China

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines Chinese returnee scholars’ language practices in teaching and research and their identity construction during their early career years. Using interviews and drawing upon poststructuralist identity theory, it examines the adaptations of twelve Chinese bilingual returnee scholars to new academic communities in English language departments, their teaching and publishing language choices, and their identity construction throughout this process. The findings showed these scholars constructed their professional identities through negotiating English as a teaching language in ways interwoven with students’ needs, institutional policies, and their past experiences. The Chinese returnee scholars were found to be “rootless” in terms of possessing inadequate social and cultural capital locally, resulting in limited collaboration and difficulties developing sufficiently robust language competency to publish bilingually. Some scholars, however, employed accumulated capital to exercise agency in bringing about changes in their new academic environments. Implications for bilingual returnee scholars and university policymakers are discussed.

Academic Career Development of Chinese Returnees With Overseas Ph.D. Degrees: A Bioecological Development Perspective.

This study uses the bioecological model of human development to understand the academic career development of Chinese returnees with overseas Ph.D. degrees (CROPs). Focuses are placed on how CROPs engaged in this process through interactions with contexts, which lead to their differentiated and similar career development in Chinese higher education. Using a qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews with 31 CROPs, our findings reveal that CROPs’ academic career development is co-shaped by personal characteristics and multi-layered environmental contexts. The study highlights the dysfunctionality of Chinese higher education system in the context of China’s ambition to build First-class Universities and First-class Subjects (Double First-class), which constrains CROPs’ academic career development. The paper offers important implications for potential CROPs, policy, and future research studies.

Overseas Chinese Returnees’ Swindler Syndrome and Their Entrepreneurial Education Under Psychological Resilience

The study aims to explore the entrepreneurship education of overseas Chinese returnees with the swindler syndrome through psychological resilience. First, a questionnaire survey is conducted to analyze the current situations of entrepreneurship education of overseas Chinses returnees and college students, and it is found that the entrepreneurship education received by overseas Chinese returnees is more advanced and perfect than that by domestic students, which makes overseas Chinese returnees have the ability to solve the problems in the process of entrepreneurship, realizing their entrepreneurial dream. However, the emergence of swindler syndrome changes the self-awareness and psychology of these returnees, which is improved through appropriate entrepreneurship education under resilience analysis. The results show that entrepreneurial resilience and entrepreneurial optimism covered by psychological resilience have a significant positive impact on entrepreneurial intention, indicating that entrepreneurial resilience and entrepreneurial optimism can enhance individual’s entrepreneurial intention. The scores of the subjects with the experience of studying abroad are higher than those without such experience, indicating that overseas Chinese returnees have stronger resilience and more optimistic attitudes in the face of difficulties and setbacks, which provides a new perspective for in-depth analysis of Chinese returnees’ entrepreneurship education and promotes the development of entrepreneurship education in colleges and universities in China.

Attracting Highly Skilled Migrants to Guangzhou, China: A Policy Commentary

The scope and the study of international migration have reached unprecedented levels. The UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) recognises that ‘migration is a multidimensional reality of major relevance for the sustainable development of countries of origin, transit and destination’, and calls for ‘integrat[ing] migration into development planning and sectoral policies at local, national, regional and global levels’. Such policies may include targeting individuals who are highly skilled/highly educated or lower skilled/less educated to fulfil different developmental goals. China, with its globalised economy, rapid economic growth, and wealth accumulation in recent decades embodies such a trend. With recruitment policies for top-tier Chinese returnees and foreign professionals, China has become an emerging destination for overseas talent. However, there is a lack of city-level/local-level analysis of the roles that local incentives and policies play when people choose a destination city. We aim to fill this gap by focusing on city-level talent recruitment and retention policies in Guangzhou, the capital of China’s Guangdong Province. In this policy commentary, we will 1) Compare and contrast the talent recruitment and retention policies instituted and implemented by the City of Guangzhou to attract Chinese returnees and foreign professionals in the last two decades; and 2) Assess the effectiveness and fairness of such policies, and their implications for other areas and countries in the global ‘race for talent’.

Institutional prestige, academic supervision and research productivity of international PhD students: Evidence from Chinese returnees

Since the emergence of global university rankings in the 2000s, East Asian universities have been recruiting academics with doctoral degrees from Western countries to strengthen their competitiveness in the global university league tables. Governments offer scholarships to support students in their overseas doctoral studies and encourage graduates to return. Although much attention is given to researchers with overseas degrees, little is known about their experiences and pre-employment academic productivity. Drawing on a nationwide survey and bibliometric data, this study examines whether and how the institutional prestige of a host university and academic supervision contribute to the academic productivity of government-funded Chinese PhD returnees during their doctoral studies. Results show that supervisors’ research support and collaboration positively affect pre-employment academic productivity. However, a university's prestige does not exert such an influence. Moreover, co-authorship with a supervisor is a crucial mechanism in the influence of supervisors’ research support on PhD students’ productivity.