‘I belong here but I’m not anchored here’: Ethnic identity construction and belongingness among multi-generation Australian-born Chinese

Chineseness is a multi-dimensional concept that is fluid and dynamic. Using a social constructivist approach, this thesis examined the construction of ethnic identity among Australian-born Chinese. The findings suggest that being Chinese is no longer solely determined by how one looks or what language one speaks. It also means different things to different people. And how one perceives themselves is not always aligned to how others perceive them.