The long shadow of socialisation

Research on highly skilled Chinese migrants in Germany considers how much of their outlook predates migration. Though well educated, employed, fluent in the language and securely resident, many still form relationships, approach political questions, weigh news reports and understand where they belong through dispositions rooted in their Chinese upbringing rather than in German life. The thesis draws on 62 in-depth interviews and looks at community, politics, information and national attachment. In all these areas, values and emotional patterns acquired early under an authoritarian system tend to survive years in a very different society. It concludes that migrants should be understood through both the circumstances they enter and what they carry. Access and opportunity policies matter, but may not be sufficient by themselves.