20世紀初澳洲華裔報刊中的女性論述和社會認同

This article discusses the social transformation of the female role, the function of the family, and social identity of Chinese Australians in the early 20th century through the analysis of Chinese newspapers and public ceremonies. It is argued that modernity and the Australian lifestyle enhanced a sense of civil rights amoung Chinese Australians vis-a-vis the traditional patriarchy that had been determining in early 20th century. Furthermore, Chinese Australians accepted the Australian notion of "social respectability" and middle class values to discuss the female role as wife and mother. However, more female Chinese-Australians were appearing in the discussions of Chinese Australians newspapers and public ceremonies. The increasing appearance of female and children together with male Chinese Australians to enhanced a public profile of the Chinese-Australian family in order to struggle against the White Australia Policy, which isolated many Chinese, who were for the most part males without families in residence in Australia, by codifying them as the "Other" of British and European Australians. In conclusion, this article shows how gender perspective provides an alterative methodology for studies of social identity and political mobilization of immigration communities.