Transnational networks and social change in an emigrant village in Fujian.

摘要

Qiaoxiang refers to the ancestral hometown of the Chinese Overseas. Since a century ago, the coastal regions in Fujian and Guangdong have become well-known qiaoxiang. In the beginning, migrants went abroad to make a living, sojourning between the places of residence overseas and hometowns in China. Thus, a transnational network of family ties gradually came into being. People in qiaoxiang usually relied much on their clansmen abroad in aspects ranging from financial support to decisions in local affairs. Due to the influence of the Chinese Overseas, social changes took place in qiaoxiang, and these promoted development in the surrounding areas too.;With the passage of time and changes in national politics, the national identification of Chinese Overseas has changed too. What has happened to the traditional network among the Chinese Overseas? What effect does it have on qiaoxiang? Taking Shudou, a village in Fujian, as an example, this dissertation discusses the transformation of transnational network among Chinese overseas as well as the roles of qiaoxiang in this network, by investigating the relations between the local villagers and their clansmen in Indonesia.;There are two major foci in this research. One involves vertical analysis of history, explaining how qiaoxiang came into being and how it developed. The other focus is on transnationalism of space, demonstrating the transformation of the transnational network from both the point of view of the Chinese Overseas and the local villagers in China. In this way, I studied the transformation of family structure in Shudou Village, the contributions of the Chinese Overseas to education, public health and medical treatment in qiaoxiang, the dynamics of local organization and local politics, and the economic development of qiaoxiang. The study shows that nowadays people in qiaoxiang no longer rely on financial support from their clansmen abroad. In village affairs, decisions are generally made by the local organizations independent of the Chinese Overseas. Thus qiaoxiang has become increasingly independent.;Nevertheless, the local peoples' experience with the Chinese Overseas has great impact on shaping their attitudes. There is the spirit of continuing to better their livelihood, and this has encouraged many people in qiaoxiang to continue to emigrate to other countries, establishing a new transnational network in the context of globalization and global market economy, beyond the traditional network of the Chinese Overseas.;In the light of the interest in transnationalism and other relevant anthropological theories, this thesis reflects on the study of China and contributes to the theoretical discussion and ethnography of China, from the perspectives of qiaoxiang and transnationlism.