Homeland or Strange Land? The Identity-Images of Taiwanese Businessmen’s Children as Formed through their Learning Experiences

Author: Ken-Zen Chen(Dept. of Education, National Taiwan Normal Universty),Chien-Hua Wu(Dept. of Education, National Taiwan Normal Universty)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 51, No.2
Date：October 2006
Pages：173-193
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2006105102008

Abstract：

With the increasing cross-strait economic interaction over the past twenty years, more and more Taiwanese businessmen who were previously living and working alone in mainland China have chosen to move their families to the mainland and live with them there. Moreover, for the sake of their children’s education in China, a Taiwanese businessmen’s Dong-Guan School has been established: it helps these children adapt to local life and culture, keep track of their Taiwanese homeland, and bridge the educational systems of Taiwan and China. Schools play an important role in cultivating young students’ sense of identity. This is especially significant given the degree to which these children are very sensitive to, and sometimes confused about, identity issues. For one thing, both governments tend to “court” or “win over” these businessmen and their children. The different environments, school cultures, teachers, and curriculum experiences, as well as the different backgrounds of their own family members (some may be originally from Taiwan and some from mainland China), potentially add to the identity confusion of these young students. Hence, the researchers conducted several interviews, participant observations, and document analyses in order to better understand these “in-between” children’s sense of a “homeland” (Taiwan) identity and a “strange land” (Chinese) identity. Finally, the analysis of these findings and suggestions for future research, are presented.

Keywords：Taiwanese businessmen’s children, Taiwanese businessmen’s Dongguan school, identity

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