Zhihao Ma

Research

Title of research:

 Identity and Political Participation among First-Generation Immigrants from Mainland China in the UK.

Brief overview of research topic:

This thesis aims to conduct the "very first research" on first-generation Chinese mainland immigrants in the UK. There has been a long-standing disconnect between this group and both the mainstream society in the UK and the traditional Chinese community, while the academic attention towards them has been relatively limited. Therefore, this thesis will fill the gap in the existing literature on this group. Additionally, this thesis will avoid the pitfall of treating the UK Chinese community as a homogeneous entity, but rather deconstruct the complexity and diversity within this community to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their identity and political participation. Meanwhile, this thesis represents the first empirical study that integrates research on the identity and political participation of the UK Chinese community. Previous studies have mostly focused on either the identity or the political participation of the Chinese community, without linking the two for a comprehensive analysis. This research will fill this research gap by conducting empirical research to delve into the interaction between the identity and political participation of the UK Chinese community, offering a more holistic perspective on our understanding of this group.

Qualifications

Teaching

Graduate Teaching Assistant of Introduction to Democratic Politics (POL00002C) 2022-23

Publications

Article: Ma, Zhihao, and Yujue Cao.2023. Political Participation in China: Towards a New Definition and Typology. Social Sciences 12(10): 531.https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100531

Conference Presentations

•  "Legitimacy, Loyalty and Solidarity: The Functions of Political Rituals in Xi's China" at the British Association for Chinese Studies 2023 Annual Conference.
•  "Modes of Political Participation in China: A New Typology" at the 73rd Political Studies Association Annual International Conference.
•  "Risk, Resilience and Vulnerability: A Grounded Theory Study of Chinese Migrant Workers in the Post-pandemic Era" at the British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies Annual Conference 2022.