Chinese Diaspora as a Virtual Nation: Interactive Roles between Economic and Social Capital

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyse how and in what ways the Chinese diaspora interacts with globalisation in Southeast Asia through their economic and social capital. It explores the theories of globalisation and contrasts them with the thematic changes of Southeast Asia studies, and it conceptualises the economic power, the geographical dispersal nature and the social networking of Chinese diaspora in order to understand how a virtual nation is being constructed. It then examines empirical studies of that economic power using the specific case of Indonesia; comparative studies of Chinese companies in Southeast Asian countries; and foreign direct investment in China from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Finally, it surveys the building of the virtual community through ethnicity, languages, associations and Confucianism, from which social capital has been generated among the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia.

Norms and Trust-Shaping Relationships among Food-Exporting SMEs in Ghana

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Guanxi and the Organization of Chinese New Year Festivals in England

“…First, observations of staff training sessions, daily organizational work and meetings provided additional information on the overall context and environmental conditions of the CNY festivals and Chinese diaspora communities. Second, the researcher observed how the community's economic power (Cheung, 2004). Guanxi between the overseas Chinese organization members helps them to realize purposes such as chain emigration based on lineage and family relationships, and mutual support in host societies (Lyman, 1974) and also, controversially, in the development of industry monopolies (Benton & Gomez, 2011).…”

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