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Transnational Career Development of Chinese Migrant Mothers: A Kaleidoscopic Perspective
Dr. Yidan Zhu
Thursday April 4, 2024
11:45 am to 1 pm
PCN 2012
Abstract
This talk focuses on the experiences of Chinese migrant mothers in Canada and the United States as they navigate the challenges associate with career development through the lens of the Kaleidoscope Career Theory (KCT) and Transnational Theory. Drawing on KCT, I explore the multifaceted nature of career development through emphasizing the dimensions of authenticity, balance, and challenge, and how they intersect with the transnational context. I also make use of the transnational theory to understand the role of cultural capital, lifelong learning, and social support networks in facilitating the transnational career development of immigrant mothers. I discuss the strategies used by Chinese immigrant mothers to overcome these challenges, including relearning knowledge and skills, adapting to new cultural contexts, and creating their own transnational career paths.
Short bio
Yidan Zhu, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Adult, Professional, and Community Education at Texas State University. She is a scholar of adult education and community development with a focus on adult learning, immigrants’/women’s lifelong learning, health professions education, women and gender studies, and international and comparative education. She has published numerous peer‑reviewed academic papers in prestigious journals, including Adult Education Quarterly, International Journal of Lifelong Education, Globalization, Societies and Education, Disability and Society, and British Journal of Social Work. She worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Canada (2018-2020) and as a Research Assistant Professor in Lingnan University, Hong Kong SAR, China (2020-2022).