PROGRESS ON IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES INWESTERN COUNTRIES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDIES IN CHINA
ZHOU Chun-shan1, YANG Gao2
1. Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-simulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China;
2. School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Abstract Since twentieth Century, millions of immigrants were born with the tide of globalization. Immigration research has become one of the most important research topics in western sociology, anthropology and geography. Geographical research is mainly concentrated in the immigrant community. The studies of immigrant communities in western countries can be traced back to the early 20th century, "Chicago School" in the United States took the lead in research. Subsequently abroad studies have experienced four research paradigms, including assimilationism, pluralism, heterolocalism and transnationalism. The different research paradigms are the product of historical background, which reflect the different characteristics of different periods through out the whole development process of the immigrant community. In general, abroad studies produced abundant research findings. The location choice of immigrant communities have experienced a evolution which is from the central city to the suburbs. The space types of immigrant community can be concluded into ethnic enclave, ethnic community and ethnoburb. There are differences among location choice, physical space, social hierarchy, social network and ethnic economy. The research perspectives of formation mechanism experienced a shifting from traditional ethnic solidarity to different players and production of space. The progress of production of space contain spatial practice, representations of space and representational spaces. The retroaction study mainly focused on personal capital, social capital, social integration, social mobility, and spatial assimilation. The spatial effect research analyzed the impaction on urban development and urban spatial structure from a larger scale. Comparatively, domestic research was relatively late, starting in the 90's of last century. In general, the contents of domestic research field witnessed a sustained expansion and evolvement, and the research methods are becoming increasingly more diversified.
2017, Vol. 32 
