Educational Media Reviews Online

Emigration and immigration issues are not isolated to the United States. Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, have been grappling with the issue of Chinese emigrants since the early 19th century. Overseas Chinese documents the struggles many emigrants faced in not being fully recognized as legitimate citizens by their new homeland. The Chinese government also refused to recognize them as citizens, so they, in essence, were a people without a home. The film also documents the struggles that many Chinese emigrants experienced following the Chinese Communist Party taking control of the government in China. Out of fear, many of the Southeast Asian countries “rounded up” the Chinese and placed them in “holding villages” where they could be controlled and observed. However, a movement in the 1970’s saw the resurgence of Chinese education in many of these locations. Chinese schools that had once been closed, were reopening to provide education in language, culture, and history. Enrollment in these schools has only increased in the last several decades as citizenry and governments become more globally minded. As one interviewee stated, “If you plan to do business in China, you should speak Chinese.” The film is a collection of interviews with individuals who experienced the struggles firsthand, or are sharing the stories of parents and grandparents who lived through the struggles. This film would be a useful resource for students in sociology and Asian studies who are exploring issues related to emigration and immigration and cultural assimilation.