The Indian and Chinese academic diaspora in Australia : a comparison

• Published in: Asian and Pacific migration journal : APMJ Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 87 - 116
• Main Author: Hugo, Graeme
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2010; Scalabrini Migration Center
• Subjects: Academic personnel; Academic staff recruitment; Asians; Australia; Australia: Social conditions; China; Chinese people; Development; Diaspora; Diasporas; Displacement; Educational demand; Educational mobility; Foreign students; Immigration; India; Indian people; International cooperation; International education; International migration; Migrants; Migration; Migration patterns; Paradigms; Peoples Republic of China; Population movements; Researchers; Statistics; Surveys; Teacher mobility; Teachers; Transnationalism; Australia; China; India
• ISSN: 0117-1968; 2057-049X
• DOI: 10.1177/011719681001900105

The shift in international migration research away from a focus on permanent displacement and settlement to transnationalism has not been accompanied by a similar shift in international migration systems which are still based on the old paradigm. This study utilises Australia- based secondary and primary data to show the actual nature of population movement between two of Australia's major countries of origin of migrants: China and India. It focuses particularly on one group of migrants - university-based researchers and teachers. The paper demonstrates that the mobility relationship between Australia on the one hand, and India and China on the other, is most accurately depicted as a complex system involving substantial and diverse flows in both directions. Survey data are used to explore the linkages maintained by Indian and Chinese academics in Australia with their homelands. The findings suggest that there is considerable scope from the perspectives of China and India to engage their diaspora in activities which will be beneficial to development. [Author abstract]