Diaspora, diversified resistance: the case of overseas Chinese rebels

Activists in authoritarian regimes undergo a diaspora process due to strict political surveillance and prosecutions. Built on one year of participant observation among Chinese activist groups residing overseas, this study explores the universality and diversity of activists’ political identities, spanning from left to right. We suggest that public sympathy serves as an organizational tool for diaspora communities. Furthermore, activists’ differences in rebellion goals and tactics towards their opponents are shaped by political environment of the host countries. Diaspora Chinese activists face unique challenges and opportunities, shaped by geopolitical dynamics and the interests of political stakeholders in their host countries. The ethnographic evidence contributes to a deeper understanding of how diaspora movements adapt and organize in varying political contexts.