Residential and Socioeconomic Integration and Social and Cultural Segregation of Chinese Immigrants in the Netherlands

Abstract

Social scientists have long sought to understand the role of ethnic residential segregation in the process of integration of minorities. Chinese immigrants in North America stand out because they have different residential distribution and integration process. Research on Chinese immigrants is considerably fewer in Europe, but shows a residential distribution different from American Chinese. Besides, the European picture also questions the hallmark role of residential integration in overall integration. To understand the residential integration and its role in the overall integration process, this paper adopts a housing career approach in exploring the residential integration process of Chinese immigrants in the Netherlands as well as their socioeconomic, social and cultural integration. The findings firstly show that their high-level of residential integration is related to the spatial requirements of the Chinese restaurants. Secondly, the study also uncovers that, despite their high level of residential and socioeconomic integration Dutch Chinese deliberately preserve Chinese culture and values in particular with respect to food, parenting, social manners and family values.