Some say the number of Chinese in Africa now exceeds one million people, some even go as high as two million. Although no one has a precise accounting of just how many Chinese migrants now live on the continent, there is no doubt their numbers are large and growing. This week, we speak with Dr. Yoon Jung Park, one of the world’s foremost experts on Chinese migration, to find out who are the Chinese in Africa and what are the effects of their integration into African societies?
Dr. Park is an expert on Chinese migration in Africa and a sociologist by training with nearly 20 years of experience on the African continent. She has spent the last dozen years developing expertise on Chinese in Africa, both Chinese South African ethnic & national identity construction and new Chinese migrants on the continent. She earned her PhD in Sociology from University of the Witwatersrand and, prior to that, received an MA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University in comparative politics and a BA from Pitzer College in Sociology and Women’s Studies. Park has published extensively in academic journals; is regularly consulted by the media, other scholars, and graduate students on Chinese in Africa; and has become a much sought-after speaker on these topics.
About the Chinese in Africa/Africans in China Research Networ:
The Chinese in Africa/Africans in China (CA/AC) Research Network is the only independent and international China-Africa platform for real-time discussions, interactive debates, and insightful knowledge-sharing. Our mission is to spearhead cutting-edge research, vibrant deliberations and the exchange of ideas about China-Africa issues by supporting a focused and rapidly growing global network of international scholars, students, journalists, and practitioners.
We stimulate discussions about all facets of the growing ties between Chinese and Africans, focusing especially on people-centered issues. We organize academic events and facilitate participation in international conferences for Network members and other experts. We also collaborate on publications and offer knowledge, experience, and expertise to a wider interested public.
Click here to submit a request to join the network’s Google group that was referenced in the show.
