Queensland University of Technology CRICOS No J Heritage Language for young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia: Habitus and capital in fields Michael Mu Centre for Learning Innovation 28 June 2012

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Outline Literature review Theoretical framework Methodology Data analysis and findings Discussion

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Literature review Social psychological perspective Poststructuralist perspective Bourdieusian perspective Motivation Habitus Ethnic identity Capital Investment Complement Recast Reconcile

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Research questions: RQ 1. Is Chinese Heritage Language proficiency of young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia positively influenced by their investment of capital, the strength of their “Chineseness”, or both? RQ 2. What does Chinese Heritage Language mean to young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia?

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Theoretical framework CHL proficiency as linguistic capital Four forms of capital Chineseness as habitus Fields “[(habitus) (capital)] + field = practice” (Bourdieu,1989, p.101) People make language choices as a form of their social practice according to the amount of different resources (capital) as well as the dispositions (habitus) they have within a given field (Bourdieu, 1991).

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Methodology Critical realism An explanatory mix methods design Initial quantitative study: Online questionnaire (230 complete responses) Subsequent qualitative study: Multiple interviews (9 interviews with 5 interviewees)

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Quantitative data analysis and findings RQ 1. Is Chinese Heritage Language proficiency of young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia positively influenced by their investment of capital, the strength of their “Chineseness”, or both? H 01. “Chineseness” of young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia has no statistically significant positive impact on their Chinese Heritage Language proficiency.

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Quantitative data analysis and findings RQ 1. Is Chinese Heritage Language proficiency of young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia positively influenced by their investment of capital, the strength of their “Chineseness”, or both? H 02. The investment of capital of young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia has no statistically significant positive impact on their Chinese Heritage Language proficiency.

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Qualitative data analysis and findings RQ 2. What does Chinese Heritage Language mean to young Chinese Australian adults in urban Australia? Theoretical Concepts Benefits of CHL/ Meanings of CHL Coding criteriaAdamBobCrystalDiannaEn-ning Economic capitalJob opportunitiesConvertible into money√√√√√ Cultural capital Chinese cultural goods Objectified cultural capital: Material forms of cultural goods √√√ Understanding of Chinese culture Embodied cultural capital: Lasting dispositions of mind and body, existing in the form of schemata of perceptions and actions √√√ Chinese way of doing things√√ Formal education credits Institutionalised cultural capital: Cultural competence with a conventional, constant, legally guaranteed value in connection to certain institutions √√√√ Social capital Communication with family members Contacts and group memberships that provide actual or potential support and access to valued resources √√√√ Communication with friends√√√ Socialisation with people√√√√√ Symbolic capital Recognition by people Reputations for competence and images of respectability and honourability √√√√√ Awards√ Habitus Embodied dispositions Immanent propensities linked to cultural history that drive the actions both intentionally and unintentionally √√√√√ Family roots√√ Unconscious dispositions√√√ Conscious actions√√√√√ FieldDifferent values in different situations A social place containing agents struggling for positions by the control of resources √√√√√

CRICOS No J a university for the world real R Discussion Do “Quant” and “Qual” talk to each other? What else are emerging? What are the contributions and limitations? How does this journey reflect “myself”? Where does this study lead to?