The first book to analyse cultural dynamics of Chinese migration to Italy, Migration and the Media compares Italian, Chinese migrant, and international media interpretations between 1992 and 2012. From paternalistic tones reducing migrants' motives to poverty or political oppression to fear-mongering diatribes about illegal business practices, tax evasion, and unfair competition, the Italian and international media covered this large-scale migration extensively during this period. The Chinese community also joined in the media polyphony with articles in their own newspapers and magazines, more likely refuting biased mainstream media coverage or protesting the harsh regulations that seemed to target the Chinese, but sometimes even advising fellow migrants on how to counter the media's criticism.

Gaoheng Zhang places the strong media interest in Italian-Chinese migrant relations within relevant economic, political, cultural, and linguistic contexts. Examining how journalists, entrepreneurs, and politicians debated Italy's Chinese, Zhang argues that these stakeholders viewed the migration as a particularly effective example to support or dispute Italy's general stance toward migrant integration and economic globalization.

About the Author
Gaoheng Zhang is Assistant Professor of Italian Studies at the University of British Columbia.

Reviews
"The major contribution of this manuscript lies in its insistence on the role of the media in giving voice to tensions in society created by successful immigrant communities such as the Chinese. By commenting upon these points of friction, the book offers a road map for the study of representations of other immigrant cultures. Zhang's use of the case study model is highly effective, and indeed may be applicable for teaching and writing about other immigrant experiences." -- Mary Ann McDonald Carolan * Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies *
"Zhang Gaoheng's Migration and the Media is a tremendous contribution to the fields of media, cultural, migration and Chinese studies and will undoubtedly appeal to advanced undergraduates, graduate students and scholars in these fields. This book emphatically reminds us that while structural variables such as demographic shifts and economic restructuring do indeed matter, so too do words and images. In this way, Zhang has not only filled in major gaps in our understanding of the Chinese migration experience to Italy, but also helped us reassess what we thought we already knew." -- Calvin Chen * The China Quarterly Review *
"Gaoheng Zhang's study is scientifically solid and innovative, and can be useful to anyone interested in various levels of Europe-China relations, media studies, migration and ethnic studies, Italian or Chinese studies and cultural studies in general. His work paves the way for other studies that analyse migration from a distinctly cultural viewpoint, and is a milestone in this genre." -- Valentina Pedone * Forum Italicum *

"Zhang's careful analysis, aided by his linguistic skills, which gave him access to sources in three languages, together with his interdisciplinary approach, leads to a 'journey' in the Italian-Chinese migrant repertoire theorized by Zhang that is fascinating and intriguing."

-- Miriam Castorina, Universita degli Studi di Firenze * Journal of Asian Studies *



Book Information
ISBN 9781442630437
Author Gaoheng Zhang
Format Hardback
Page Count 296
Imprint University of Toronto Press
Publisher University of Toronto Press
Weight(grams) 580g
Dimensions(mm) 231mm * 155mm * 30mm