Health and identity: the case of the Chinese community in England

Social representations of health and illness are deeply intertwined with is sues of cultural identity. People think of health and illness in relation t o their social environment and cultural background. In this paper, we repor t findings of a study an representations of health among the Chinese commun ity in England. Using focus groups and in-depth interviews with experts and lay members of the Chinese community, we found a hybrid representation whi ch combines Chinese traditions and western biomedical knowledge. This mixed social representation is paradoxical: it both integrates and draws upon th e differences inherent in the two knowledge systems. The contradictory natu re of the representation is functional: it enables the community both to su stain/defend its cultural identity and to rope with the challenges posed by the host environment. The findings ave discussed in relation to the hybrid ization of identities in the context of globalization.