Wenxuecity. Chinese immigrants on-line community. Ethnical issues - Dissertation Example

?Research Methodology and Findings Ethical Issues There were ethical issues surrounding this questionnaire. The first thing was that the Respondents understood that anonymity would be protected, and that they would simply be identified by a letter. This was important, as some of the Respondents were reluctant to participate in an honest way unless they could be anonymous. And, even though the Respondents remained anonymous, they were still apprised of their rights. Specifically, they had a right to terminate the process at any time, with the understanding that the data collected from them up until that point would not be a part of the overall results. I also contacted the moderators of the site to explain to them what I was doing and why, to make sure that they were approving of the overall mission and questions presented. This proved not be a problem, as the moderators allowed me to continue with my research, on the condition that there would be full disclosure. In other words, I was not allowed to surreptitiously collect data from the site by reading the messages that were being sent by the community, recording these messages and using this as data. I had to be up front with everybody about what I was doing, and the questions that I was asking and that the people who would be chosen for this project would be a part of an overall study. Research Method The data collection method that I will be using is structured interviews. In order to find the right respondents, I visited the popular discussions on the site to see the interactions which occurred among various topics. After this, I posted 10 general questions (Appendix A). These questions were posted individually within a period of seven days. Fifteen respondents were observed. From all the Respondents, I followed the profiles of each user to personally determine whether they pass the first criterion of having maintained a distinct Chinese culture. The criteria for determining if the user maintained a distinct Chinese culture was by evaluating their point of view to ascertain if their viewpoint was oriented towards Chinese culture or towards the culture of the host country. Afterwards, the shortlist of 50 users was identified based on the duration of their usage and membership on the website. They were sent an invitation to participate in the study further through an interactive interview conducted through emails or instant messaging platforms of their choice. They were also asked the following questions in order to qualify them for the second criterion – that traditional media does not play a significant role in his daily life (Appendix B). Based on the responses to these questions, I selected twenty users who display the second criterion the most. That is, they exhibit interest in getting the latest updates about China, and the Chinese people and culture at large, and that they do not get this information from traditional media. Furthermore, they exhibit knowledge about the fifth question’s subject matter, not only through their actual subscriptions and affiliations, but through their expression of interest to get connected and develop deeper understanding. After twenty users were selected based on the criteria mentioned above, I proceeded to schedule the interactive interviews. These happened within a period of one month since the questions were sent one after another, the succeeding question mainly based on the previous answer. I also allowed the respondent during the time to deliver a meaningful personal account of experiences, and the flexibility to do it at his or her own pace. Data Analysis The method of analyzing data is to analyze the transcripts to discern patterns of responses. The patterns are ascertained by examining a series of coded utterances, with an eye towards data which fit the overall themes of the research at hand. What I found was that the respondents used the website for a variety of reasons, therefore the challenge was to ascertain under what theme the reasons fit. For instance, a common response from Respondents was that they used the site for practical reasons, such as to help with immigration. Since the overarching theme of the research is with regards to identity formation, yet part of the identity formation is focused upon how tight the Wenxuecity community is with one another, the responses were examined to determine how they fit int with the question regarding how the Respondents felt about being a part of the community. The responses regarding immigration dovetailed nicely into this theme, as the Respondents indicated that they both read posts and created posts for others, therefore they were contributing to the sense of community by helping others. In the end, the responses were culled from voluminous data to fit into the themes. 1 The Respondents The twenty users selected for the interactive interview revealed that they have been using Wenxuecity for almost two years, and visit the website about two to three times daily. Their age ranged from 24 to 32, and all are working on their own time. The most common time for visiting the site was at night time when all their tasks would be accomplished. Eight of the respondents were students, nine had full time jobs, two were stay at home mothers, and one was associated with a scholarship and exchange program for specialized studies. Research Questions The following questions will form the basis for the research. The objectives for these questions will be to understand the link between the feeling of belongingness that Chinese immigrants may feel, which comes from being connected through an on-line community. Furthermore, the issue of cultural identity is one which is paramount, so the questions will also be geared towards how the on-line community fosters this sense of shared identity. a How will a virtual community be perceived by ethnic people? b Will people feel a sense of community towards a non-geographically based entity c How strong can this sense of community be? d What kinds of cultural identity have been formed in this virtual community? Presentation of Results How Will a Virtual Community Be Perceived by Ethnic People? The first research question which was asked was how a virtual community would be perceived by ethnic people, in this case, the Chinese living in America. What was found was that the virtual community was perceived as a need to connect with others, and to establish one’s cultural identity. The perception which was created from the respondents related to the idea of feeling the same as being in local China. The perception of tradition, culture and value that is close to an individual becomes an assurance and remains close to one who migrates. Each of the members of the group stated that they felt the need to connect with other Chinese people, because they felt out of place in the current society, in one way or another. Under this theme were several sub-themes. One sub-theme was that the Chinese in this survey felt that they needed to bond with one another because they felt somehow at odds with American culture. Therefore, the question regarding this sub-theme is why do the Chinese feel at odds with American culture, and how does Wenxuecity help in combating these feelings? Another sub-theme was that Wenxuecity helps the Respondents is how does Wenxuecity help with this feeling of connectedness with their Chinese family and friends? These sub-themes are explored below. Feelings of disconnection with the larger culture, and how the Wenxuecity helps the Respondents feel connected to one another. One of the major themes which emerged is that the Respondents felt that they were not a part of the dominant culture, and they needed to feel a sense of connectedness with others, so this site is their way of feeling that they are a part of a community. Some of the Resondents, as, for instance, A, C, G, S, and T, state that they currently have friends who are American, along with those who are Chinese, yet they do not entirely relate to their American friends. G states that his American friends simply do not “get it” - in other words, they do not get what it means to be Chinese. There are different values, beliefs and backgrounds that the Respondents have from their American cohorts and friends, and that is simply something that cannot be bridged. The respondents state that they feel out of place in the dominant culture, despite the fact that some of the respondents have been here in American for many years. The respondents all have memory of China and the homeland, and each of the respondents came from a different area of China. They all feel that their identity is Chinese first. B states that she does not necessarily want to seem ungrateful or unpatriotic, and she worries about this too. B feels that America is a hodgepodge of different groups and nationalities, and that these different groups and nationalities need to keep their own customs, beliefs, values and identities. They cannot blend in with the rest of America, and America simply cannot expect them to do so. Connecting with Wenxuecity is her way of ensuring that she finds a place where she fits in, and where she feels that she is not forced to “go along to get along.” Q states similar sentiments, complaining that not only is he seemingly forced to think of himself as only a part of the dominant culture, and he feels that the politicians and the media contribute to this coercion, but that the people in the dominant culture do not understand the Chinese way. He states that he rarely, if ever, sees any information about China on the evening news that is not biased or incomplete in some way. Nor does he see news anchors or reporters who look like him. He feels unwelcome in this country at times because of it. U is frustrated that the news which dominates the headlines tends to sensationalize the events in China and the Chinese people, as opposed to showing sensitive, well-rounded portrayals of the people of China. Thus, the prevailing sentiment among the Respondents is that they are strangers in a strange land, and that their identity as Chinese people is not well-understood by the dominant culture. The dominant culture tends to stereotype the Chinese, and this is fed by the media which sensationalizes scandals emanating from China. Therefore, the need to connect with others who have the same sense of self and identity is paramount in the lives in the Respondents. Whether the Respondents get on the site to access information about popular culture, fashion, news, politics or something other, the dominant theme is that the Respondents have a need to feel a part of a community which has the same background as they. The same kinds of issues, hopes, dreams and fears as they do. They have a need to vent when they feel that Americans do not understand them, and they also have the need to share their joys of finding simple pleasures that only they, as Chinese, might understand. They all realize that they are different from the people in the dominant culture, and they all realize that America not a melting pot and never truly will be. Wenxuecity provides this bridge to the Respondent, the bridge to the China that they know and love, and the traditions which are a part of their very being. The need to feel connected to family and friends in China The other dominant theme found by the study is the feeling the Respondents have regarding wanting to feel connected to those left behind in China. In this case, the Respondents have the perception that Wenxuecity is a way to keep this connection, and this is why they use the site. What was found was that each of the Respondents had different ways of doing this. For instance, Respondent R stated that she likes to cook for her boyfriend, who is American, and she often accesses the site for recipes and blogs regarding recipes. She finds the blog by Rose to be particularly helpful, as Rose posts pictures of her creations, along with detailed recipes and comments about her dishes. R states that she finds the pictures that Rose posts to be irresistible, and she often makes the meals for her boyfriend. She states that this particular website is helpful to her, because she recognizes that she misses her mother, who always cooked the same sorts of food that Rose cooks. She feels that keeping in touch with her Chinese heritage regarding food preparation is the best way to honor her culture, and be able to pass something on to her future children. R has a repertoire of Chinese meals that her mother passed to her as well, but she finds that Rose posts meals that even she had never heard of, so it is an excellent way of expanding her knowledge of Chinese cuisine. Respondent C, on the other hand, sees Wenxuecity as a way to keep up with both the news from back home, in particular some of the political news from back home, along with connecting with some Chinese humor. C considers himself to be a political buff, and is very interested in the dealings back home on these issues. His father was also interested in politics and government, so C feels that keeping up on these issues gives him something to talk about when he calls home. He also is interested in the overall news from the country, in that he wants to keep up with important developments back home. C is also interested in American politics, but sees that there is a great deal of difference between American politics and Chinese politics. He enjoys talking to his father about the contrasts between the two political systems. As for Chinese humor, C often looks for jokes on some of the blogs and humorous observations. He considers himself to be a humorous guy, and enjoys hanging out with friends, both Chinese and American. He knows that some of his Chinese friends, in particular, appreciate his sense of humor and enjoy hearing Chinese jokes, so he searches the site for these jokes to tell his friends. Some of the Chinese jokes are translatable to his American friends as well, and his American friends enjoy hearing these jokes. This helps him assimilate, because he feels that communicating with humor is the best way to keep his friends and make new ones. He says that it helps him assimilate, which, in turn, helps him to feel not so out of place with his American friends. S also is interested in politics back home, like C. S has people back home that he tries to communicate with every day, through e-mail or the phone, and one of the ways that he communicates is through knowing about local politics in his region of China. Wenxuecity thus becomes a touchstone of sorts for S, as he can learn everything that he needs to know about this topic, so that he can sound knowledgeable when he is talking to the people back home. These same people back home are interested also in finance, so this is a way for him to relate to them as well. That said, S acknowledges that he has other things that he talks about to his buddies – much of the conversation with the people back home centers around personal issues, as well as every day issues, but his connection with his buddies also hinges upon him knowing as much as possible about Chinese finance and politics. Respondent T has other reasons for being a part of the forum, and these reasons help her feel connected to the people back home. She states that she enjoys the forum regarding music, poems and literature. She wants to keep abreast of the latest happenings in these areas, because she feels that she wants to keep traditional Chinese cultural leanings as a part of her household. She especially enjoys the topics regarding some of the Chinese authors who have written books in the last few years, as she is an avid reader and especially enjoys mystery novels. She writes her own poems, and these poems center around how she feels about living in America when she, herself, is Chinese and from China. Her poems also venture into other topics, such as love and sex, and she posts these as well. Through it all, however, she states that her postings and writings that she puts on this site are filtered through her particular sensibility, that of a Chinese girl in America. The music that she likes and gravitates to are Chinese artists, but she also likes some American music, and feels that it is important that other Chinese know and understand about the American bands that she enjoys. H enjoys fashion, and she gets on the forum regarding fashion as often as she can. She wants to know what is going on back in China on this level, because she wants to not only fit in with the current dominant society with America fashion, but wants to retain a sense of Chinese fashion. She feels that integrating the two concepts are the best way for her to keep her Chinese look fresh, while also assimilating in the dominant culture. She finds that her American friends admire the way that she dresses, because she always has a different flairs to typical American ways of dressing. Respondent D stated that she sometimes felt that she was back home and talking to her friends when she posted to certain forums, especially the forums regarding music, pets and television. D states that she used to talk to her friends about these sorts of topics, because she was involved in animal rights groups back in China, so the discussion about pets makes her feel included in these issues and also gives her a chance to read about companion animals. D feels that her American friends do not necessarily understand her passion for animals, as they tease her about being from a country that eats dogs and is cruel to bears. Being on this site, however, she realizes that the people back in China are working towards a better standard of living for animals, so it gives her a sense of relief. Will People Feel a Sense of Community Towards a Non-Geographically Based Entity? The second question was based on the assumption that the site creates a community, of sorts, with the Respondents who log onto the site. In other words, this question seeks to understand the need to connect with one another on the site, not just the need to still feel connected to China. One sub-theme under this main theme was that the respondents used the site for practical reasons, yet connected with the community in their desire to help others with these practical matters. The question here is how does the Wenxuecity community help bind the community in solving practical problems? Another sub-theme was that some of the Respondents connected to the site for friendship, without necessarily looking for practical information. The question here is how does the Wenxuecity site bind people in ways other than by supplying practical information? Practical issues and how Wenxuecity binds the community in the process of solving these issues. Three of the respondents stated that the need to feel connected with other users pertains to how they feel about immigration, and how the immigration forum is set up. In this forum, users give information about immigration, as well as are able to find information about this topic. This is facilitated through the users themselves, as most of the forum is. To this end, three of the respondents stated that the site is a good place to go to get information about immigration proceedings and the like. In particular, A, E and F state that the immigration forum is something that they read almost daily. As they find out more information about immigration from their attorneys and friends, they feel that this forum is helpful to them in finding out additional information, as well as allowing them to share what they have learned on the outside about this process. A states that this site helps in that he enjoys posting information for others to learn more about immigration. He has been in this country for a number of years and has gone through the immigration process for three years now, and feels that he has learned a lot about the process. He likes the feeling of helping others, which is why he tries to post on this forum as much as he can and answer as many questions as he can for others. It is his way of paying it forward. E feels that the immigration forum is helpful to her because not only can she give information that she has received, but she can see that others are having some of the same issues that she is having. It helps her feel that she is not alone in the immigration process, and it also helps her to understand that some of the problems and issues which are occurring with her immigration process are not the fault of her attorney or the government, but, rather, are just glitches that she has to contend with to get her visa. F enjoys reading the immigration forums when she is feeling frustrated and overwhelmed about the slow nature of the immigration process. As with E, she finds comfort in reading other people's experiences, and also feels that she learns a lot by reading these postings. N's way of connecting with others on the site is through finding others who are in the same area of business that he is in, which is finance. He states that he wants to connect with other Chinese who are in finance, because he feels that other Chinese have a different perspective on the issues regarding finance than do Americans. This is his way of affirming his identity as a Chinese, in that he speaks the language that other Chinese would know, and uses the financial terms which are used by other Chinese, so this is his way of setting himself apart from the American culture. Health issues is another major reason for the respondents to log on to Wenxuecity. I, C, J and L all stated that health issues was paramount on their mind when they got on the site. This concern, too, is a way to connect the online community, as the online users frequently post pertinent information about Chinese remedies and Chinese cures, and users are also able to avail themselves of this information. C and L state that the forum about health, called “Health Regimen” is the forum that they get on and read every day, even when they are feeling fine. This is because the topics on this forum interest them, and they also enjoy posting information to the forum about their knowledge of treating ailments and diseases. D and E, who are new parents, look to this site to learn how to handle, with traditional Chinese medicine, the ailments of their babies. They both feel that they cannot always visit their pediatrician, and E says that she doesn't want to be known as the kind of mother who visits her doctor every time her child has the sniffles. This site helps them in that they are able to post questions to the board about their children's symptoms and they get information back which is often very helpful to what they are trying to deal with. All of the respondents state that they access this forum whenever they are dealing with a minor health issue, such as constipation or headaches, to see what others are recommending for these issues. This health forum seems to be important to the respondents, because the respondents feel the need to connect with others when they are feeling out of sorts. Finance and investment were key areas that A and P focused upon when logging onto the site. They both feel that they need to be able to save money for their future and the future of their families, and this part of the website provides information that they need and seek. At the same time, as with the immigration site, they felt the need to pay it forward by helping others with their questions regarding finances whenever they could find a question that they could answer. P especially enjoys posting on this site, as he has had experience with being a landlord, having owned property that he uses as rentals. As many of the discussion threads on this forum deals with issues regarding landlord-tenant relationships, he feels that he can contribute to the discussions and be helpful to others in this way. A, on the other hand, is more interested in topics regarding taxes and investments. He is building a nest egg that he hopes will enable his future children to go to college, so the advice on this forum is something that he finds especially helpful. Both A and P expressed the sentiment that they feel good helping other Chinese with their issues regarding finances, because they both understand that sometimes the issues are difficult to try to figure out. At the same time, they state that they trust the advice of others on these forums, because the advice is coming from other Chinese. They feel that they can trust other Chinese with financial advice, where they do not necessarily trust Americans with the same. A states that the reason why he has trouble trusting financial advice from Americans is because of the banking crisis that occurred – he feels that Americans are too complacent with corruption in their financial system, and too many of them are focused on turning a fast dollar. A is not interested in this, he is interested in solid investments, and he feels that fellow Chinese feel the same. I had similar sentiments, and specifically said that he does not trust American banks anymore after what happened in 2008. He keeps his money in a local credit union, as he refuses to give his money to big, greedy banks, and he, like A, feels that other Chinese are more likely to have one another's best interest at heart when it comes to matters of finance. D, as with R above, also enjoys connecting to Wenxuecity for the recipes. However, unlike R, she does not connect with Wenxuecity's recipe section because she has a need to connect with her homeland and the people from her homeland. Rather, her concern is more practical, in that she simply loves to try new recipes. In the process, however, she has felt a sense of connectedness with the others on the site, so this is a bonus in this way. She states that she is a new parent, and wants to be able to fix her child traditional Chinese food, as well as new recipes that she finds on this site. Additionally, D states that she feels like she is not confident in the kitchen, so she posts questions to the board about different cooking questions. She enjoys the board for private side dishes because this board has discussions about cooking, and she feels that she has gotten to know some people on this board who share her concerns. D feels that it is important to connect with other Chinese cooks to share information, recipe and cooking secrets. She does feel that Chinese cooking at home makes her feel more like she is back in China, and that this cooking brings her comfort when she is feeling overwhelmed and stressed, as she often does. B, who has a serious American boyfriend, uses the site for the practical matters regarding being a part of an inter-cultural couple, and how others have handled the issues surrounding this union. B and her boyfriend like to log into the site to see what other intercultural couples are saying, and how they are coping with the various issues which arise in such a pairing. Issues with their parents accepting them, issues regarding possible children and helping their children assimilate, issues about conflicting religions and issues regarding different values and beliefs are all topics which are important to them. However, they take comfort in reading other people's stories regarding obstacles in their union, and how other people overcame these obstacles. They also post advice to people who are going through the same problems, and have made friends on this particular part of the site. In fact, they met one couple on the site who happened to be in the same town as they, and they all met for drinks. They all liked one another, and have met with this other couple regularly for movies, dinner and the like. Wenxuecity's binding of Respondents not looking for practical information Some of the Respondents felt the need to connect with others, even though they did not have practical information to receive or transmit. Two of the respondents (K and O) put less weight on the value of Wenxuecity as a source of information and connectedness to China since they can find the same materials from other networking sites. For them, it is more of a matter of building relationships with other users, and the interactions between them. Many of the respondents especially enjoyed the news on Wenxuecity because of the discussion elements. The news on this site has postings, and Respondents A and F stated that they enjoy posting comments on some of the most interesting news topics, and reading them as well. They also state that they enjoy doing this on other sites that has news, stating that these comments are often the most interesting part of the article. On Wenxuecity, these comments are especially helpful because the comments come from people with the same perspective of events that they have. Respondent A states that when he looks at other sites that have comments, like Yahoo and the like, he notices that he has a different view of events then do most of the other people commenting. While he sometimes thinks that this is funny, he also says that sometimes he feels sad because of it, because he is reminded again of how different he is from others around her. On the other hand, when he reads the comments posted to articles on Wenxuecity, he feels that he fits in. He feels that he can join in the discussion and understand more about what is going on by joining in. Respondent F states that the Wenxuecity provides a unique perspective on both events that are happening worldwide, as well as events happening in China, and the discussion reflects this. Although F does not post to the discussion boards about different news items, she enjoys reading these discussions and analyzing them for their worth. It helps the day pass for F. Respondents D and E, who are both new parents, see the site as helpful for different reasons. Respondent D enjoys reading the blogs written by people who are also new parents, because she feels a connection with them. Also, because she feels isolated and alone, because she is home with the baby, she feels the need to connect with others in general – adults, that is. Respondent D not only enjoys reading the postings by new parents about the challenges that they face in raising their children, but she also likes to post. Respondent E also enjoys reading blogs by new parents, but also likes the site for other issues. For instance, Respondent E wants to connect with others on a cultural level, so she enjoys reading blogs about music and movies. She and her husband enjoy going out when they can, so it is important to her that she keeps up with what people are saying about films and bands. Like with D, E sees the site as a nice diversion, a good way to break up the day after tending to her baby. While her baby is sleeping, E sneaks onto the site to catch up with some blogs and postings, and see the news back in China, especially the offbeat news. How Strong Can This Sense of Community Be? The strength of the overall community is the next research question. While this is a question which may seem subjective, there is still some criteria on how strong the overall community is. If the site is able to alleviate some of the stress that is experienced by Chinese sojourners, then the community would considered to be strong, because it is a service which is of great benefit to the site’s Respondents. An online community is considered strong, for the purposes of this research, if it fosters a great deal of discussion, there are a great many topics, and the users feel included and connected. Also, in this case, the strength of the community may be gauged by how well the Respondents on the site are able to use the community as a way to fit in with the world around them. Therefore, one of the sub-themes which emerged is how the site has helped the Respondents assimilate into the dominant culture. Therefore, the question here is how does the site help the Respondents assimilate into the dominant culture. The correlate to this question also became a sub-theme, in that many of the Respondents resist assimilation, and need to connect with other Chinese because they do not want become American and want to keep their culture intact. Assimilation into the dominant culture, and how Wenxuecity assists with this The strength of this site is in how well the site helps the Respondents in their efforts to assimilate into the larger culture. H feels pressure at work, although she states that she gets along well with her colleagues, for the most part. She feels that she has assimilated enough in with her colleagues that they accept her, and they want her to be a part of the work-related functions. That said, however, she feels that, being a woman and being Chinese, she is at somewhat of a disadvantage on her job. She enjoys logging onto the career forum and posting and reading about others' experiences in the workforce. In particular, she gravitates towards the forum regarding office politics, because this discussion forum has good stories of others who are struggling with insecurities, just like she is, and these anecdotes are often told in a humorous way. H enjoys posting on this site, and it makes her realize that her struggle to continue to fit in with her coworkers and her office is one that is universal, and that she can feel that some of the problems that she experiences on the job might be temporary and a cause for making jokes later on. Both H and G find that this forum helps them navigate the waters in the American workplace, as there is advice on how to fit into the American workplace, because of the different culture and values, and also provides them a way of understanding these differences. For instance, G finds bragging distasteful, but the forum helps him understand that sometimes bragging is simply the American way of touting one's accomplishments, and that he needs to learn how to subtly brag about himself if he wants to get ahead. H finds the idea that some Americans are only out for themselves, and do not have the good of the collective in mind, to be bizarre. She always thinks of others in her work, and finds that not everybody feels the same. Sometimes she feels slighted by this, but the forum helps him understand that this is normal behavior, and that it is something that she needs to get accustomed to. Respondents G, P and I had a mixed reaction between the last two respondents. It was noted that there was a willingness to adapt to the culture and lifestyle in America. The customs, language, traditions and other components were noted as being missed by the respondents. B has a different perspective from the other Respondents, as she is currently living with an American man who is her boyfriend, and she hopes to marry him one day. That said, B states that her boyfriend is trying to learn the ways of her culture, so she enjoys sharing the site with him. B states that she translates the site into English for her boyfriend, and they read, together, the different items on the site. B does get frustrated with the quality of the translation, however, stating that the translation to English is problematic at best. The translation does not put Chinese into simplified, nor correct, English grammar and reading it is therefore difficult. However, she is impressed that her boyfriend is interested in the site and the information on the site, because she feels that it shows that he is committed to her and getting to know her and her culture better. D and E had different perspectives from the others, as they are both new parents. They expressed concern that their children are going to need to assimilate into American culture in order to get ahead in this country. They want their children to be respectful of adults, conscientious and excellent students. They want their children to have simple manners, such as knowing that it is wrong to litter and it is wrong to cut in front of others in line. They want their children to always say “please” and “thank you,” and be gracious. They both find this site helpful in this regard, as they have found other parents who are going through the same dilemmas. E also expresses concern that her child be able to assimilate in the dominant culture of America. E feels the need to be able to fit in with her American peers, so that she can model for her child how to assimilate. The resistance to assimilation and how Wenxuecity helps keep the culture intact Respondents F and C each said that they thought that the site has helped them with the feeling that they are disconnected from the larger society. They stated that the site helped them in this regard, because the site made them feel as though they were home. The statements which were associated with this came from the understanding and belief that they were foreigners and outsiders in the country which they were in. Being a part of this community allowed them to not feel as though they were lost or outside of a home area of comfort. The culture and customs which they had acquired as well as the concept of being forced to change identity had prevailed with these respondents. As stated above, B, with her American boyfriend, is attempting to assimilate into the larger culture as best as she can. However, she states that she also has a need for space and for pursuing her own agenda on the site, and finds herself resisting assimilation at the same time. She knows that, although her boyfriend tries to relate and tries to understand, that he cannot fully appreciate her need to connect with others who are Chinese and do completely understand. She sometimes feels that she is becoming one with the dominant culture, primarily because of her relationship with her boyfriend, and she does not want to become completely immersed in the culture. She keeps Wenxuecity as a way to connect with others who are of her background, and share her frustrations, so that she does not ever lose touch with her identity and culture. G states that he feels pressure from the outside world to conform to the American way, and that he sometimes feels that he is doing just that. G feels that he needs to get ahead in his job, so it is important to socialize with his colleagues after work. He tries to get into the conversations with the others, and finds that, when he is around only men after work, he feel that he cannot identify with the other men. When the talk turns to football or women, G feels that he has nothing much to really contribute to these conversations because he is not interested in sports and is currently single and unattached. He states that he leaves these gatherings and happy hours feeling ashamed and embarrassed because he feels like a fish out of water with his co-workers. When G feels like this, he immediately logs onto Wenxuecity, and feels instantly better. He says that when he logs on, he first looks at the some of the news stories which are presenting themselves, then ventures into some of the forums and looks at the postings and conversations on these forums. He states that he has several people who he has struck up a kind of friendship with on the site, and always feels excited when he is able to connect with these people when he is online. Four of the respondents said that they simply wanted to try something new and never really wanted to leave China for good. They plan to go back to China once they have established careers. The importance of this is based on the ideologies of cultural immersion. If one is expecting to go back to the country which they are from, then the assimilation and cultural identity is not necessary. The changes in language, expectations in terms of altering lifestyle and the behaviors and associations with the current culture are not as important. Instead, there is only the need to learn the basis of the culture, experience some of the components and to leave adjustments which may temporarily cause problems behind. The link to the virtual community then stops isolation which may occur with those who are not expecting to adapt or assimilate to the culture. Two of the respondents had come to the foreign country specifically with the intention of only completing a program and then returning. Similar to the latter four respondents, the focus is on the system of the program as opposed to assimilating to the culture, making the link to the Chinese culture more comfortable and as important. The two last respondents had moved because of pressures of career and other obligations, making them not want to leave their homeland but becoming obligated because of their position. The reaction of these three respondents was that they wanted to go back to their homeland but felt separated and unable to move outside of the position which they were in. The particular situation is important to consider, specifically because there is a link and pressure to assimilate into the culture. The concept of cultural immersion, as expressed by one respondent, becomes a pressure that is continuous. This respondent stated that “Everyday I am expected to make adjustments with my behavior, attitude and basic gestures. These are small adjustments but not a habit from where I am from. I often feel like I am being rude or standing out from the crowd. This level of discomfort makes me feel even more foreign. In turn, I spend most of my energy during the day trying to adjust to the American culture while always feeling out of place.” The ability to find a virtual area in which one does not feel out of place then becomes essential in terms of the cultural assimilation and the way in which one is able to release some of the difficulties of belonging in the American culture without having links to the expected cultures and behaviors outside of this. All the respondents agree that the website has a certain effect on them. When they accessed the website, either early in the morning or late at night after the day is over, they begin to feel like they are living in China once again, and that they feel more Chinese than ever. This response, noted from all five of the respondents, shows that there is a direct correlation with the feeling of community related to the virtual area as well as the component of interdependence that is noted from immigrants in a foreign country which is not given to those who are living in the foreign area. What Kinds Of Cultural Identity Have Been Formed in this Virtual Community? This question centers around how the Respondents on this site perceive their cultural identity. Wenxuecity helps these Respondents feel less like a person in no-man’s-land, and more like a Chinese living in America. Therefore, the sub-question regarding this larger question is how does Wenxuecity help the respondents feel like a Chinese living in America, as opposed to an individual without a country? How does the site help the Respondents feel more connected to China? One of the ways that this site helps the Respondents feel that they fit in with their dominant country, and with their Chinese countrymen is that it provides a healthy dose of Chinese culture. For instance, for the new parents, the site helpful for them because it provides a way to access Chinese literature and poems, and they enjoy immersing their babies in these poems and literature. They read to their babies daily, and some of what they read to the babies are the poems and stories that they find off of this site. They both feel that this site is invaluable in providing them with ways to ensure that their children do not lose their Chinese heritage, and one of the ways of doing this is making sure that their children always have access to fresh Chinese stories and poems. D even writes her own poems and stories for the site, and finds that this creative outlet helps her and her child, in that D keeps contact with Chinese culture by creating these stories and poems, and she is able to share these newly created stories and poems with her child. M sees the site as a good way to get information about child rearing, and her connection with the online community is centered around this main concern. In particular, she enjoys reading the discussion about children's education, and the subforums which are a part of this. She finds that other parents are going through many of the same events that she is dealing with, and the same problems that she is experiencing with raising her children, so this forum provides interesting conversations and perspectives. She often posts topics to respond to, as well as posting in other forums. She is also interested in becoming an educator here in this country, because that was the occupation that she had in China. This site has information that is important for this, such as dealing with children with autism and ADHD, as well as dealing with children who have been identified as gifted. General topics of interest for her are other subforums in this forum that deal with information regarding educational topics, such as reading, math and science. For D and E, the site is a cure for loneliness and alienation that is not just brought about by their being Chinese expatriates, but also is brought about by their being new parents. They both state that it is important to them, more than ever, to keep the culture of their native land because they both feel that they need to be able to raise their children with Chinese culture. To this end, the site provides a link back to their homeland, so that they feel more connected and, at the same time, are able to refresh their bodies and minds during the day. Appendix A. Initial Screening Questions 1 . How do you find the services and features of Wenxuecity? 2 . Why did you choose Wenxuecity as your basic connection to China? 3 . Are you looking for news and updates about China? 4 . Are you a Chinese immigrant or a half-Chinese who has resided abroad since birth? 5 . Do you believe that Wenxuecity presents China accurately and informatively? 6 . Does Wenxuecity affect your views on China and your ways of living as a Chinese sojourner? 7 . Do you get relevant information from Wenxuecity on how you can better adjust to the living conditions of your host country? 8 . Does Wenxuecity help you retain your being Chinese amidst your host country’s mainstream culture? 9 . Do you find a community in Wenxuecity that is different from what you have in your physical surroundings? 10 . Overall, how would you rate the relevance of Wenxuecity in promoting Chinese culture among Chinese immigrants around the globe? B. Questions regarding usage of traditional media and internet sites. 1 . How often do you use the internet? 2 . Where do you get the latest news and updates about China and the world? 3 . How often do you read about China, Chinese culture and Chinese people all around the world? 4 . Do you watch television/read newspapers/listen to radio? How often? 5 . Do you have internet-based affiliations and subscriptions from which you develop a deeper understanding of the realities surrounding Chinese immigrants? 6 . Where else do you get related relevant information? References Chan, Brenda. (2005). The internet and the construction of Chinese cultural identity: A case study of new Chinese migrants in Singapore. School of Communication and information. Nanyang Technological University. Messing, A. (2009). Panxenos: An outsider's sociology of self. Human Architecture 7.3, pp. 155-172. Pang. Mary. Reflexivity in research and question of culture. 205. Sun, W (2006) Media and the Chinese Diaspora: Community, Communications and Commerce, London: Rouledge Wu, W (1999) Cyberspace and cultural identity – A case study of Cybercommunity of Chinese Students in the United States. In H. Michael and K.S. Sitaram (eds) Civic Discourse: Intercultural, Internaitonal, and Global Media, Stamford: Ablex Publishing Corporation: pp.75-89 Zhou, Min (2009) Contemporary Chinese America: Immigration, Identity Read More