CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2009
| Author | Szabó, Melinda |
|---|---|
| Title | Why Would We Need A "Chinatown"? The case of Chinese entrepreneurs in the rust belts of the 8th and 10th districts of Budapest |
| Summary | Although the number of Chinese immigrants in Budapest is lower than it used to be in the early- and mid-90s, Chinese traders’ enduring presence can be expected in the city – especially in the rust belts of the 8th and 10th districts of Budapest, which became reviving areas thanks to migrants’ investments and business activities. The aim of my thesis is to explore what may reason the fact that despite the spatial concentration of Chinese trading enterprises these areas have not turned to form the basis of a “Chinatown”. However, according to my presumption, the formal recognition of a “Chinatown” would be beneficial both for the city and Chinese migrants. It may promote transnational migrants’ urban incorporation and could advance the city’s position as branding itself with the multicultural environment that these places constitute. For seeking answers to this question I have scrutinized not only the structural opportunities of the city and migrants’ transnational networks which surely condition these processes, but also made qualitative research on the city leadership’s and migrants’ opinion about the idea. Hence I both applied a top-down and a bottom-up approach for investigations. I paid special attention to determine that within the local context who may be affected by the institutionalization of a “Chinatown” negatively in terms of social inclusion. According to my main findings, if a “Chinatown” were developed in Budapest, its most probable site, today, is the part of the 10th district which is being revitalized by Chinese investors, however, along with maintaining strong connections to the Chinese trade area of the 8th district. As for migrants, most probably the better-off as well as the younger generation of Chinese who can be presumed to gain from developing a “Chinatown” in Budapest, however, less for the reasons of incorporation but – with regard to the first group –, for the enhancement of business and economic positions, while – as for the latter –, for its potential to constitute an enabling environment where “Chinese” ethnic identity can be constructed or maintained, which may otherwise be missing for those who were brought up in a foreign country yet with strong transnational cultural ties. |
| Supervisor | Caglar, Ayse; Monterescu, Daniel |
| Department | Sociology MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2009/szabo_melinda.pdf |
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