Gardens, transitions and identity reconstruction among older Chinese immigrants to New Zealand

Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Li, Wendy Wen;Hodgetts, Darrin;Ho, Elsie
Abstract

Psychologists have foregrounded the importance of links between places and daily practices in the construction of subjectivities and well-being. This article explores domestic gardening practices among older Chinese immigrants. Initial and follow-up interviews were conducted with 32 Chinese adults ranging in age from 62 to 77 years. Participants recount activities such as gardening as a means of forging a new sense of self and place in their adoptive country. Gardening provides a strategy for self-reconstruction through spatiotemporally establishing biographical continuity between participants’ old lives in China and their new lives in New Zealand.

Journal

Journal of Health Psychology

Publication Name

Journal of Health Psychology

Volume

15

ISBN/ISSN

1461-7277

Edition

N/A

Issue

5

Pages Count

11

Location

N/A

Publisher

Sage

Publisher Url

N/A

Publisher Location

N/A

Publish Date

N/A

Url

N/A

Date

N/A

EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1177/1359105310368179