9-11 Sep 2015 Paris (France)
Looking for Better Lives: Social Standing and Subjective Well-Being of Chinese Female Immigrants in Japan
Jie Zhang  1@  
1 : Waseda University
Tokyo -  Japon

During recent decades, Chinese women among newcomers in Japan tend to pursue higher quality life and social status independently rather than old comers. This study aims to examine the level of social standing among Chinese female immigrants in Japan, and discuss the predictors of subjective well-being by compare with the situation in China. This study addresses the central question, “how does social standing affect Chinese women's subjective well-being in Japan and China?”, and tests the location of Chinese female immigrants' references groups. This research also investigates the relevance of social comparison theory and theories of life satisfaction. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods. Using quantitative method, it will examine the level of status among Chinese female immigrants by comparing with other six immigrant groups in Japan, and test the predictors of their life satisfaction. Moreover, qualitative method is utilized to discuss whether Chinese female immigrants' social standing in the host country is more strongly related to their subjective well-being than in home country. Interviews are focused on their consciousness of social comparisons, and evaluation of their migrant lives in Japan and China, including life satisfaction, perceived discrimination and anxiety. This study gives nuanced understanding on how Chinese female immigrants in Japan compare themselves through making social comparisons, shows the different outcomes under chosen reference groups, and analyzes how these choices impact on their subjective well-being and assimilation trajectories in Japan.


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