美國大華府地區華人移民社群的變遷

Abstract

美國首都華盛頓特區位於美國東岸中大西洋區，介於馬里蘭州與維吉尼亞州之間。華府係美國政治中心，國際事務組織與外交機構均在此設立總部，聯邦政府部門亦多位於華府。華府擁有為數眾多的聯邦政府雇員，特殊的就業結構使得華府的經濟較不易受大環境景氣影響，社會風氣也較兼容並包，使得沒有特殊經濟利基的華府在十九世紀末形成一「小而有彈性」的唐人街。二十世紀以來以國防部與國家衛生研究院為中心形成國防、資訊、生醫等高科技公司的產業鏈，提供豐富的就業機會。在戰後國際情勢以及移民政策開放的背景下，華府都會區吸引國內外多元族群、階層的勞工落腳華府，並在郊區形成多座衛星市鎮，同時也是全美規模最大且知名的移民社群之一。 本研究試從移民史與都市史的角度探討華人移民何以選擇落腳大華府地區，並論述華府地區如何形構出多元族裔移民社群，以及華人移民社群的形成與發展。首先，本文爬梳十九世紀以來，美京唐人街如何成型，並在兩次迫遷的危機中存續、發展，在二十世紀末持續接納來自臺、港、中南半島等地的華人移民。其次，綜述冷戰結構成型、美國移民法的開放、以及美國都會郊區化等形成戰後移民潮的背景。接著，探討戰後華府如何發展成大都會區，並接納來自亞太、非洲以及拉丁美洲的移民，成為新興移民門戶，而華人是其中最重要的族群之一。美國首都多元開放與包容移民的社會環境，讓華人移民可靈活運用其社會與政治資本維護自身利益，進而回饋原居地，可視為民權運動成果在華府的具體實踐。Washington D.C., capital of the United States, is located between the two Mid-Atlantic States, Maryland and Virginia. As the political center of the country, Washington is home to many federal government agencies, diplomatic institutions and headquarters of international organizations. The large number of federal government employees in Washington area has contributed to the special local employment structure with stability and inclusiveness. This gave rise to a “small but resilient” Chinatown within the District in the nineteenth century without special niches. Since the twentieth century, hi-tech companies, including national defense, informational technology and biotechnology, have formed an industrial cluster surrounding the U.S. Department of Defense and National Institute of Health with numerous employment opportunities. In the context of post-Second World War international situation and adjustment of U.S. immigration policy, different classes of labors and ethnic groups largely migrated to the Washington metropolitan area, contributed to the growth of several satellite towns, and have formed one of the biggest and most famous immigrant gateways in the U.S. From the perspectives of immigration history and urban history, this study discusses 1) how Chinese immigrants chose to settle in D.C. area; 2) how multi-ethnic immigrant communities were formed in Washington metropolitan area, and 3) the formation and development of the Chinese community over time. The three discussions are addressed as follows. First of all, this study examines the formation of Chinatown in the nineteenth century, how it survived and developed against the two forced evictions, and continued to receive Chinese immigrants from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indo-China and more. Second, this study synthesized the context of post-war immigration wave caused by the cold war structure, the reform of U.S. immigration law, and the suburbanization in the U.S. Third, this paper discusses how Washington developed to be a metropolitan area after the World War Two, received immigrants from Asia Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and became an emerging immigrant gateway where Chinese is one of the most important ethnic groups. As an inclusively multi-culture society, D.C. provides Chinese immigrants with flexibility to use their social and political capitals to protect their own interests and further contribute to their countries of origin. This practice is considered as part of the achievement of historical civil rights movements in the Washington area.