Digital Ethnic Enclaves: Mate Preferences and Platform Choices Among Chinese Immigrant Online Daters in Vancouver

IF 1.1 3区社会学 Q3 SOCIOLOGY

Canadian Review of Sociology-Revue Canadienne De Sociologie Pub Date : 2023-01-16 DOI:10.1111/cars.12414

Manlin Cai, Yue Qian

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

In light of the growing racialized immigrant population in Canada and advances in dating technologies, this study examines Chinese immigrants’ partner preferences and mate selection processes through the lens of online dating. We draw on in-depth interviews with 31 Chinese immigrants who have used online dating services in Metro Vancouver to search for different-sex partners. Chinese immigrant online daters show strong preferences for dating Chinese. They emphasize permanent residency status and similarity in age at arrival when evaluating potential partners. Given their preferences, Chinese immigrants strategically choose the dating platforms they primarily use. Men exhibit higher selectivity in their preferences and choices of platforms. Notably, platforms catering to Chinese users create “digital ethnic enclaves” where Chinese immigrant daters congregate. The findings illuminate the intersection of race, gender, immigrant status, and age at arrival in shaping divergent experiences of mate selection and immigrant assimilation in the digital era.

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数字民族飞地:温哥华华人移民在线约会者的伴侣偏好和平台选择

鉴于加拿大日益增长的种族化移民人口和约会技术的进步，本研究通过在线约会的视角考察了中国移民的伴侣偏好和伴侣选择过程。我们深入采访了31位中国移民，他们在大温哥华地区使用在线约会服务寻找不同性别的伴侣。中国移民在线约会者对中国人约会表现出强烈的偏好。在评估潜在伴侣时，他们强调永久居民身份和抵达时年龄的相似性。考虑到他们的偏好，中国移民会有策略地选择他们主要使用的约会平台。男性在偏好和平台选择上表现出更高的选择性。值得注意的是，迎合中国用户的平台创造了“数字民族飞地”，中国移民约会者聚集在这里。这些发现阐明了种族、性别、移民身份和到达时年龄的交集，在数字时代形成了配偶选择和移民同化的不同经历。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Canadian Review of Sociology-Revue Canadienne De Sociologie SOCIOLOGY-

CiteScore

3.30

自引率

11.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Canadian Review of Sociology/ Revue canadienne de sociologie is the journal of the Canadian Sociological Association/La Société canadienne de sociologie. The CRS/RCS is committed to the dissemination of innovative ideas and research findings that are at the core of the discipline. The CRS/RCS publishes both theoretical and empirical work that reflects a wide range of methodological approaches. It is essential reading for those interested in sociological research in Canada and abroad.