The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change

This article examines two different topics related to the concept of ambivalence and its phenomenological experience applied to the Eurasian Macanese community case study. The first section, from an ethnographic point of view, addresses a set of intersubjective dynamics of identification and differe...

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Published in:Review of Culture
Main Author: Marisa C. Gaspar
Format: Articles
Published: Instituto Cultural de Macau 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40065/4027
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author Marisa C. Gaspar
author_autocomplete Marisa C. Gaspar
author_browse Marisa C. Gaspar
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Marisa C. Gaspar
author_sort Marisa C. Gaspar
container_title Review of Culture
container_title_str Review of Culture
container_volume 65
container_volume_str 65
description This article examines two different topics related to the concept of ambivalence and its phenomenological experience applied to the Eurasian Macanese community case study. The first section, from an ethnographic point of view, addresses a set of intersubjective dynamics of identification and differentiation developed by a group of friends during an intimate reunion of commensality. During this particular event, the social actors highlight their ambivalent condition, deploying this as an improvised and positive strategy to adapt to changeable external circumstances. The second section recasts the narrative of Macao's hybrid history, which lies at the origin of the Macanese community and characterises its permanent redefinition, thus drawing political and cultural dimensions into the discussion alongside the identity-building project implemented in the recently-established Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR). In this case, there is an implicit ambivalence to the Sino-Portuguese negotiation process over the application of the People's Republic of China nationality law to Macao-born residents, in particular to ethnically mixed Macanese, within the context of the handover of sovereignty to China.
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spelling The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
This article examines two different topics related to the concept of ambivalence and its phenomenological experience applied to the Eurasian Macanese community case study. The first section, from an ethnographic point of view, addresses a set of intersubjective dynamics of identification and differentiation developed by a group of friends during an intimate reunion of commensality. During this particular event, the social actors highlight their ambivalent condition, deploying this as an improvised and positive strategy to adapt to changeable external circumstances. The second section recasts the narrative of Macao's hybrid history, which lies at the origin of the Macanese community and characterises its permanent redefinition, thus drawing political and cultural dimensions into the discussion alongside the identity-building project implemented in the recently-established Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR). In this case, there is an implicit ambivalence to the Sino-Portuguese negotiation process over the application of the People's Republic of China nationality law to Macao-born residents, in particular to ethnically mixed Macanese, within the context of the handover of sovereignty to China.
Instituto Cultural de Macau
Macau
Review of Culture
Articles
2021
Citizenship.
Commensality
Eurasian Macanese
Identity ambivalence
Macao SAR (China)
Marisa C. Gaspar
spellingShingle The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
Marisa C. Gaspar
Citizenship.
Commensality
Eurasian Macanese
Identity ambivalence
Macao SAR (China)
title The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
title_autocomplete The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
title_full The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
title_fullStr The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
title_full_unstemmed The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
title_short The Ambivalent Identitarian: Macanese Metamorphoses in Times of Change
title_sort the ambivalent identitarian: macanese metamorphoses in times of change
topic Citizenship.
Commensality
Eurasian Macanese
Identity ambivalence
Macao SAR (China)
topic_autocomplete Citizenship.
Commensality
Eurasian Macanese
Identity ambivalence
Macao SAR (China)
topic_facet Citizenship.
Commensality
Eurasian Macanese
Identity ambivalence
Macao SAR (China)
url https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40065/4027
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