Negotiating Identities and Chinese Culture in Hong Kong: The Perspectives of International Doctoral Students

With the internationalization of higher education, there has been an expansion of the international student population in recent years. The exponential growth of international doctoral students in higher education has not only taken place in Anglophone countries, but also in other parts of the world. This paper investigates how international doctoral students at a Hong Kong university negotiated their identities and came to terms with Chinese culture during their studies in Hong Kong. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with twenty-four international doctoral students. Our findings illustrate the role and limits of the Internet in understanding Chinese culture, especially the nuances of Hong Kong Chinese culture, and in negotiating identity in intercultural contexts. Prior to arrival in Hong Kong, many participants used various strategies to acquaint themselves with Chinese culture. Apart from Internet content, which was perceived as useful at times, many also relied on social networks and prior visits. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, participants were often struck by the in-betweenness of Hong Kong as both Chinese city and international metropolis. To adjust to this cultural context, participants made efforts in coping with social norms. For instance, some reconfigured their work-life balance to match the perceived tenacity of Hong Kong Chinese colleagues. Conversely, others felt disheartened by comparatively little social conversation at the workplace. Participants towards the end of their doctoral studies gained insights into their negotiation of their cultural identities. Some felt Hong Kong had given them a new hybrid identity as world citizens while others felt apart from Hong Kong because the Chinese language felt like an insurmountable barrier to gaining a sense of belonging to the local community. Taken together, the study offers insights on how universities can better prepare international doctoral students effectively for cultural and social adjustments to Hong Kong Chinese cultural contexts.