Author Description

Using the concepts of identity, ethnicity, race, and nationalism, as well as comparisons to other international Chinese communities, this examination focuses on the only Chinese community in Africa and explores the multilayered identities of the South African Chinese residents, analyzing the ways in which their identities have changed with each new generation. The study identifies both the external and internal forces that have defined the parameters for this identity construction—from international political events and internal racial policies to external trade and political relations. As China's aid, trade, and investment in Africa grows alongside the ever-increasing number of Chinese immigrants to the continent, this historically marginalized and neglected Chinese South African cultural group is receiving increased media and scholarly attention, making this study a timely and pertinent work.