The Social Integration of Floating Ethnic Minorities: A Comparative Study of Tibetans in Beijing and Chengdu, China

This study investigates the social integration of Tibetan floating populations (from Heishui County, Sichuan Province) in Beijing and Chengdu using relevant theories. The research involved a questionnaire survey and extensive qualitative interviews over a 2-year period. A theoretical framework was developed to assess the four possible modes of engagement of floating ethnic minorities in urban cities-integration, segregation, marginalization, and assimilation-which we applied to the Chinese context. By combining group-level socioeconomic indicators and individual-level cultural-psychological indicators, we find that Tibetan communities in Chengdu exhibit a pattern of integration, although in an initial state, as they have maintained their ethnic identity while also being well accepted by the local society. In contrast, the Tibetan communities in Beijing exhibit a segregation mode of engagement, living in ethnic enclaves with limited participation in the broader local society.