FrOM CHInatown to the suburbs: the new local heartlands of sydney’s growing chinese community
Civic sinoburbia
Sydney’s growing Chinese community has shifted away from the historic inner-city Chinatown in Haymarket and towards suburban areas like Hurstville, Zetland/Green Square and Eastwood. In these suburbs, 40% or more of residents now report Chinese heritage.
But each of Sydney’s ‘Sinoburbs’ is unique, shaped by different generations of migration and well as different patterns of urban renewal and development.
What is local social and cultural life like in these suburbs? How do the everyday places where a community comes together – like schools, libraries, bowls clubs and community gardens – reflect and respond to changing local demographics? How do residents in these suburbs from different backgrounds participate in their local community?
This research project examines how new Chinese migrants participate in civic and cultural life in three Sydney suburbs to understand how ‘everyday citizenship’ is changing, and how local policies and local organisations can create stronger opportunities for participation for all.