Beyond Kung Fu and Takeaway: Negotiation of British Chinese Identities in Schools

Ada Mau explores the evolving and emergent identity of British Chinese young people. Drawing on her doctoral research and on previous research projects she has been involved in, the author highlights the education performance and perceptions of British Chinese communities. This involves British Chinese visibility and invisibility, the latter caused by racism and discrimination. The ‘hidden’ problems experienced in education are underlined, but emerging identities within second and third generation British Chinese alongside levels of integration, racialisation and racism are examined. Mau describes her sample for data collection and then explores whether British Chinese youth have successfully integrated into the mainstream. The need for professional practitioners to recognise issues of racialistion and cultural exoticisation is underlined. Mau concludes that despite apparent success at integrating into school life and their high-achievement educationally, British Chinese pupils continue to encounter overt racism and covert marginalisation.