Post-Independence Educational Change, Identity and Huaxiaosheng Intellectuals in Singapore: A Case Study of Chinese Language Teachers
AbstractThe impact of educational changes on the identity of the Chinese-educated or Huaxiaosheng as an analytical social category is examined in this article. Focusing on the Huaxiaosheng intellectuals, specifically the Chinese language teachers, this article seeks to capture the transformation of identity across generations. The fluid sense of identity is defined by the social location of individuals embedded within the larger social category of Huaxiaosheng, which is generation-specific. Identity is ultimately tied to the individual's biography, in this case, educational experiences in a particular medium within a specific social-historical configuration. This article argues that educational experiences in a particular medium, in this case, Chinese education, influence ethnic identity.