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SUMMARY: 2026 International Forum on: Social Organization\, Connection and 
 Care in a Migration Context
DESCRIPTION: About Co-organized by: University of British Columbia\, School
  of Social Work Hong Kong Baptist University\, Faculty of Arts and Social S
 ciences Sponsored by: University of British Columbia\, Infrastructure and I
 ntegration Lab Background: For various reasons\, hundreds of thousands of p
 eople emigrate from one country to another. While a new country may offer t
 hem opportunities\, they […]
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html: <p><img src="https://sowk.cms.arts.ubc.ca/wp-
 content/uploads/sites/32/2026/04/International-Forum-2.png" /></p><hr /><h2
 >About</h2><p><strong>Co-organized by:</strong></p><p>University of British
  Columbia\, School of Social Work</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist University\, Facu
 lty of Arts and Social Sciences</p><p><strong>Sponsored by:</strong></p><p>
 University of British Columbia\, Infrastructure and Integration Lab</p><p><
 strong>Background: </strong></p><p>For various reasons\, hundreds of thousa
 nds of people emigrate from one country to another. While a new country may
  offer them opportunities\, they also face numerous challenges in the settl
 ement and integration process. In most receiving countries\, the government
  may offer some support to newcomers\, but it is mostly insufficient and li
 mited in scope. Beyond relying on their personal networks\, newcomers often
  seek help from local social infrastructure\, such as churches\, community 
 organizations\, and ethnic organizations\, which provide not only social ca
 re but also support to meet their needs. As social mechanisms\, many also h
 elp newcomers connect with others in the local community.</p><p>In this For
 um\, we will explore and discuss how state policy\, technology\, social car
 e and transnational connection shape migration context in Cambodia\, Canada
 \, China\, Hong Kong\, Germany\, Greece\, Nepal and the United States.</p><
 p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><hr /><h2>Program Itinerary
 </h2><p>[accordion title="Program"]</p><table><tbody><tr><td width="84"><st
 rong>Time </strong></td><td width="534"><strong>Activity</strong></td></tr>
 <tr><td width="84">8:45</td><td width="534"><strong>Registration and light 
 breakfast</strong></td></tr><tr><td width="84">9:15</td><td width="534"><st
 rong>Welcoming and opening </strong></td></tr><tr><td width="84">9:30</td><
 td width="534"><strong>Panel 1 -- State Policy and Migration Context</stron
 g></p><p><strong>Title:</strong> From Shanghai to Athens: state interventio
 n\, consular services and transnational connections in Greek resettlement</
 p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Dr. Nikolaos Mavropoulos\, Assistant Prof
 essor</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Hong Kong Baptist University\, Aca
 demy of Chinese\, History\, Religion and Philosophy</p><p><strong>Title:</s
 trong> <em>Stateless and Forgotten: Lived Experiences of Bhutanese Refugees
  in Nepal as Humanitarian Assistance Diminishes</em></p><p style="padding-l
 eft: 40px\;">Dr. Karun K. Karki\, Associate Professor</p><p style="padding-
 left: 40px\;">University of British Columbia\, School of Social Work</p><p>
 <strong>Title:</strong> <em>Rural–urban Circuits of Reactive Coupling: Work
 ers’ Precarity\, Mobility Tactics\, and Coupled Governance in Cambodia’s Ga
 rment Economy</em></p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Dr. Kaxton Siu\, Asso
 ciate Professor</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Tsz Chung Lai\, PhD Cand
 idate</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Hong Kong Baptist University\, Aca
 demy of Geography\, Sociology and International Studies</p></td></tr><tr><t
 d width="84">11:00</td><td width="534"><strong>Break</strong></td></tr><tr>
 <td width="84">11:15</td><td width="534"><strong>Panel 2 -- Transnational C
 onnection in Migration</strong></p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>Divergenc
 e Without Detachment: Value Discrepancy\, Everyday Nationhood\, and Nationa
 l Pride Across Immigrant Generations in Canada</em></p><p style="padding-le
 ft: 40px\;">Capri Kong\, PhD. Student</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Un
 iversity of British Columbia\, Department of Sociology</p><p><strong>Title:
 </strong> <em>“Here and all over the world”: Transnationalisms embedded in 
 experiences of peer support among racialized transgender and gender diverse
  (TGD) people in Canada</em></p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Hannah Kia\
 , Associate Professor</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">University of Brit
 ish Columbia\, School of Social Work</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>Tran
 snational Family Care and Dementia: Experiences of Hong Kong Canadian Immig
 rant Carers in Vancouver</em></p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Karen Wong
 \, Assistant Professor</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Chinese Universit
 y of Hong Kong\, Department of Social Work</p></td></tr><tr><td width="84">
 12:45</td><td width="534"><strong>Group Photo</strong></td></tr><tr><td wid
 th="84">1:00</td><td width="534"><strong>Lunch</strong></td></tr><tr><td wi
 dth="84">2:00</td><td width="534"><strong>Panel 3 -- Social care and Divers
 ity in Migration Context</strong></p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>Opting 
 Out: Interactional Dimensions of Ethnic Identity and ‘Non-joining’</em></p>
 <p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Gabrielle Abando\, MA Student</p><p style="
 padding-left: 40px\;">Department of Sociology\, University of British Colum
 bia</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>Exploring Asian Families’ Perspective
 s on Child Welfare Systems: Insights from a Grounded Theory Study</em></p><
 p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Barbara Lee\, Assistant Professor</p><p styl
 e="padding-left: 40px\;">School of Social Work\, University of British Colu
 mbia</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>From Migrant Worker to Migrant Grand
 mother: A Gendered Life Course Perspective</em></p><p style="padding-left: 
 40px\;">Jia Tang\, PhD Candidate</p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Hong Ko
 ng Baptist University\, Department of Social Work</p></td></tr><tr><td widt
 h="84">3:30</td><td width="534"><strong>Break</strong></td></tr><tr><td wid
 th="84">3:45</td><td width="534"><strong>Panel 4 -- Technology and Mobility
 </strong></p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>Health Disparity and Digital Di
 vide of the Older South Asian Residents in Hong Kong</em></p><p style="padd
 ing-left: 40px\;">Vincent Lee\, Assistant Professor</p><p style="padding-le
 ft: 40px\;">Hong Kong Baptist University\, Academy of Wellness and Human De
 velopment</p><p><strong>Title: </strong>Extreme Temperatures and Transit Us
 e in Immigrant-Concentrated Neighborhoods: Evidence from New York City</p><
 p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Zheng Rong\, Doctoral Student</p><p style="p
 adding-left: 40px\;">Hong Kong Baptist University\, Department of Geography
 </p><p><strong>Title:</strong> <em>Algorithmic Care: Evaluating AI in Suppo
 rting Newcomer Settlement from a Human-Centric Approach in Hong Kong</em></
 p><p style="padding-left: 40px\;">Song Yao\, Assistant Professor</p><p styl
 e="padding-left: 40px\;">Hong Kong Baptist University\, Academy of Chinese\
 , History\, Religion and Philosophy</p></td></tr><tr><td width="84">5:15</t
 d><td width="534">Closing remark</td></tr></tbody></table><p>[/accordion]</
 p><p>[buttons][button link_text="Download Full Program" link_url="https://s
 owk.cms.arts.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2026/04/International-Forum
 -Program-Final-revised.pdf"][/buttons]</p><hr /><h2>Registration</h2><p>Lig
 ht breakfast and lunch will be provided.</p><p>[buttons][button link_text="
 Register for this Event" link_url="https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/S
 V_b7UsjYMl2JN5NLE"][/buttons]</p><hr /><h2>Speakers and Presentations Infor
 mation</h2><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion t
 itle="<strong>Gabrielle Abando\, MA</strong>"]</p><p>MA Student</p><p>Depar
 tment of Sociology\, University of British Columbia</p><p><strong>Title: </
 strong>Opting Out: Interactional Dimensions of Ethnic Identity and ‘Non-joi
 ning’</p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Currently\, ethnic communities are c
 haracterized in a way that creates hard boundaries between insiders and out
 siders. These boundaries are incompatible with trends among successive gene
 rations that indicate less community participation\, more residential dispe
 rsion\, but high co-ethnic sense of belonging. I ask\, why do individuals o
 pt out of community organizations but retain high sense of co-ethnic belong
 ing? I find that the co-ethnic encounter is fraught. Individuals are highly
  self conscious of implicit expectations from co-ethnics in encounters and 
 react negatively. They eventually surrender to their repeated inability to 
 fulfil them and opt out entirely. These experiences drive them away from so
 cial activities common in immigrant organizations. I argue that these two d
 imensions of identification\, self-concept and interpersonal interaction\, 
 are independent of each other. Rather\, interpersonal dimensions of identif
 ication demand signals of cultural membership that are more difficult to ac
 quire. This interactional dimension is what motivates or de-motivates futur
 e community engagement.</p><p><strong>Bio: </strong>Gabrielle is a second y
 ear masters student at UBC’s Department of Sociology. Her research bridges 
 between ethnic community narrative and formal organization and how individu
 als understand their sense of identity and belonging</p><p>[/accordion]</p>
 <p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="<stro
 ng>Karun K. Karki\, PhD</strong>"]</p><p>Associate Professor</p><p>Universi
 ty of British Columbia\, School of Social Work</p><p><strong>Title:</strong
 > Stateless and Forgotten: Lived Experiences of Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal
  as Humanitarian Assistance Diminishes</p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Mor
 e than three decades after their displacement from Bhutan\, an estimated ei
 ght to ten thousand Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees remain in camps in N
 epal\, as humanitarian assistance continues to decline and global attention
  wanes. While much scholarship has focused on third-country resettlement\, 
 far less is known about those who remain in protracted exile. Drawing on et
 hnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews (n=20)\, this paper examines h
 ow long-term family separation\, advancing age\, economic precarity\, and t
 he gradual withdrawal of aid shape everyday experiences of uncertainty and 
 marginalization. Engaging insights from ageing\, gerontology\, and social w
 ork\, the study foregrounds the embodied and relational dimensions of growi
 ng old in displacement. Five themes emerge – the camp’s afterlife\, distres
 s from separation\, bodily fragility\, bureaucratic statelessness\, and fra
 gile hope – revealing a population suspended in time: neither repatriated\,
  locally integrated\, nor fully supported. The paper calls for renewed inte
 rnational attention and age-sensitive humanitarian and social work interven
 tions that prioritize dignity\, continuity of care\, and sustainable psycho
 social support for stateless populations ageing in exile.</p><p><strong>Bio
 : </strong>Dr. Karki is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work
 \, University of British Columbia. His research seeks to promote social jus
 tice by examining how systems of power and inequality—such as racism\, cast
 e discrimination\, colonialism\, and other forms of oppression—affect peopl
 e’s lives and opportunities. Using interdisciplinary approaches\, his acade
 mic work investigates the social and economic factors that impact health\, 
 well-being\, and a sense of belonging among racialized and minoritized comm
 unities\, including immigrants\, refugees\, and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.</p><p
 >[/accordion]</p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accor
 dion title="<strong>Hannah Kia\, Ph.D.</strong>"]</p><p>Associate Professor
 </p><p>University of British Columbia\, School of Social Work</p><p><strong
 >Title:</strong> “Here and all over the world”: Transnationalisms embedded 
 in experiences of peer support among racialized transgender and gender dive
 rse (TGD) people in Canada</p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>A body of emerg
 ing scholarship has taken up questions of migration and transnationalism in
  the lives of racialized transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people. This 
 literature has\, in many cases\, pointed to transnational expressions of co
 mmunity-building among this group\, often against contexts of intersectiona
 l precarity. In this study\, I draw on the findings of a qualitative study\
 , which was originally designed to examine peer support experiences among T
 GD people in Vancouver and Toronto\, to consider transnationalisms embedded
  in the peer connections of racialized participants. Relying on translocati
 onal intersectionality as a conceptual framework\, I specifically highlight
  the promises and tensions that transnationalisms appear to represent in th
 e peer support narratives of TGD people involved in this study. Based on th
 is analysis\, I conclude with implications of this work for the development
  of systems of support that address the dynamic priorities of racialized TG
 D people in the Canadian context.</p><p><strong>Bio:</strong> Hannah Kia is
  an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of S
 ocial Work. Her program of research broadly addresses health equity issues 
 among sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations. In recent years\, she h
 as led critical qualitative studies that primarily address the health and w
 ell-being of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people.</p><p>[/accordion
 ]</p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="
 <strong>Capri Kong\, MA</strong>"]</p><p>PhD. Student</p><p>University of B
 ritish Columbia\, Department of Sociology</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> Div
 ergence Without Detachment: Value Discrepancy\, Everyday Nationhood\, and N
 ational Pride Across Immigrant Generations in Canada</p><p><strong>Abstract
 : </strong>This study examines how value discrepancy—the gap between indivi
 duals' values and those of average Canadians—shapes national pride across i
 mmigrant generations. Building on boundary work and social identity theory\
 , I ask whether perceived value distance from average citizens undermines n
 ational membership and pride. Using Canada's 2020 General Social Survey (N=
 34\,044)\, I construct a 12-item national pride index and operationalise va
 lue discrepancy across six civic domains. Hierarchical linear regression wi
 th interaction terms analyses this relationship across first-\, second-\, a
 nd third-plus generations. Respondents consistently rate their own values h
 igher than those attributed to average Canadians\, with discrepancies widen
 ing across generations. Larger discrepancies predict lower pride among firs
 t-generation immigrants\, but this association is attenuated—and sometimes 
 reversed—among subsequent generations. I theorise a generational shift from
  boundary softening to boundary monitoring\, arguing that perceived value d
 iscrepancy can function as a claim to national ownership rather than an ass
 imilation deficit.</p><p><strong>Bio: </strong>Capri Kong is a PhD student 
 in Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her research examines s
 ocial networks\, transnational ties\, and intergenerational integration amo
 ng immigrants in Canada\, focusing on how relational dynamics shape belongi
 ng\, identity formation\, and community cohesion.</p><p>[/accordion]</p><p>
 [accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="<strong>
 Barbara Lee\, PhD</strong>"]</p><p>Assistant Professor\, School of Social W
 ork\, University of British Columbia</p><p>Director\, Centre for the Study 
 of Services to Children and Families\, University of British Columbia</p><p
 ><strong>Title:</strong> Exploring Asian Families’ Perspectives on Child We
 lfare Systems: Insights from a</p><p>Grounded Theory Study</p><p><strong>Ab
 stract:</strong> This presentation shares emerging insights from a grounded
  theory study examining Asian children and families’ perspectives the child
  welfare system in Canada. The study draws on qualitative interviews with 7
 9 participants\, including parents\, former children in care\, child welfar
 e workers\, and community service providers in Vancouver and Toronto. This 
 presentation focuses on how participants described their understanding of c
 hild welfare systems\, including perceptions of risk\, intervention\, and s
 upport. Qualitative findings suggests that limited information and misconce
 ptions about child welfare systems may shape how families interpret and eng
 age with services. Participants also reflected on the model minority myth a
 nd cultural expectations in shaping help-seeking decisions. While the broad
 er project is not limited to newcomer populations\, many participants’ expe
 riences intersect with migration and settlement with implications supportin
 g culturally competent practices with Asian families across diverse migrati
 on contexts.</p><p><strong>Bio: </strong>Dr. Barbara Lee is an Assistant Pr
 ofessor in the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia.
  Her research uses community-engaged\, mixed methods approaches to advance 
 evidence-informed practice with children\, youth\, and families from divers
 e communities\, and to advance simulation-based learning in social work edu
 cation.</p><p>[/accordion]</p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]
 </p><p>[accordion title="<strong>Vincent Lee\, Ph.D.</strong>"]</p><p>Assis
 tant Professor</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist University\, Academy of Wellness and
  Human Development</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> Health Disparity and Digit
 al Divide of the Older South Asian Residents in Hong Kong</p><p><strong>Abs
 tract:</strong> Hong Kong’s population is ageing and becoming more diverse.
  Ethnic minorities now make up over 4% of residents\, with South Asians inc
 reasing significantly from 2011 to 2021\, and the proportion aged 55+ risin
 g to 11.6%. Recent research shows that the daily lives of older South Asian
 s mainly depend on family support. They face multiple barriers in social in
 tegration\, language and cultural mismatches in services\, and limited heal
 th and digital literacy. During the COVID-19 pandemic\, structural stigmas 
 and segregation further hindered their access to timely information and car
 e. Amid the rapid digitisation of healthcare\, equitable access to local pl
 atforms like “HA GO”\, “eHealth”\, and “iAM Smart” becomes essential for he
 althy and positive ageing. However\, these apps mainly operate in Chinese a
 nd English\, with complex terminology and workflows that are largely diffic
 ult for older users who are not fluent in Chinese to understand. Interprete
 r support remains insufficient\, and low socioeconomic status limits device
  ownership and access to skills training\, thereby widening the digital div
 ide. This research examines health knowledge and explores issues related to
  the use of online health service platforms among older South Asian residen
 ts in Hong Kong. Using the Modified Resources and Appropriation Theory (RAT
 )\, it discusses digital inequalities at different levels and explores how 
 language accessibility\, cultural norms\, and social capital intersect to i
 nfluence engagement and health outcomes. It especially highlights future re
 search directions\, such as usability audits of “HA GO” and "eHealth" with 
 older South Asian users and their access to social capital\, while evaluati
 ng policy options\, including the inclusion of major ethnic languages in he
 alth services and proactive measures to reduce structural barriers.</p><p><
 strong>Bio:</strong> Vincent Wan-ping Lee is currently an Assistant Profess
 or at the Academy of Wellness and Human Development\, Hong Kong Baptist Uni
 versity. Recently\, he has been engaged in research projects concerning fam
 ily caregiving\, social service evaluations\, the use of information techno
 logy by older adults\, employment among older adults\, and the livelihoods 
 of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. He has also authored a number of article
 s published in international academic journals and edited books.</p><p>[/ac
 cordion]</p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion 
 title="<strong>Nikolaos Mavropoulos\, Ph.D.</strong>"]</p><p>Assistant Prof
 essor</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist University\, Academy of Chinese\, History\, R
 eligion and Philosophy</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> From Shanghai to Athen
 s: state intervention\, consular services and transnational connections in 
 Greek resettlement</p><p><strong>Abstract:</strong> Economic hardship in th
 e late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries propelled Greeks into globa
 l mobility\, yet their settlements in China and Hong Kong are overlooked. I
 n concessions\, Greek families built livelihoods through merchant houses\, 
 shipping links\, community committees\, and consular services that provided
  care and protection. War and regime change turned settlers into refugees a
 s violence\, legal uncertainty\, and nationalization closed businesses and 
 threatened residents. Drawing on archival material\, this paper reconstruct
 s how state intervention\, consular services\, and transnational ties organ
 ized care\, connection\, and exit through documents\, visas\, passage\, com
 mercial brokers\, and diaspora mutual aid pooling funds and navigating chec
 kpoints. It examines reception in Athens\, where authorities and civic grou
 ps converted maritime and kin networks into pathways for reintegration. Exa
 mining both historical and contemporary experiences enables us to understan
 d the mechanisms of change and continuity within diasporic communities. Thi
 s contribution traces needs (loss of income\, documentation problems\, hous
 ing on arrival) and the hybrid mix of formal and informal support that met 
 them. In Athens\, Greek authorities and civic organizations processed retur
 nees and converted maritime and kinship networks into pathways for reintegr
 ation. Renewed links between Greece and China\, including Belt and Road log
 istics around Piraeus and shipping ties\, show how commercial and diplomati
 c relations shape migrant care and mobility today. By foregrounding integra
 tion\, inequality\, and identity\, the paper counters xenophobic and nation
 alist rhetoric\, stimulates diaspora research\, and clarifies change and co
 ntinuity in diasporic communities. It advances an inclusive understanding o
 f difference that moves beyond ethnic boundaries in a world still marked by
  division.</p><p><strong>Bio:</strong> Dr. Mavropoulos earned a BA in Balka
 n studies and a MA in European History in Greece\, received Sapienza Univer
 sity's PhD fellowship in 2014\, completed his doctorate in Rome in 2019 and
  held roles in Europe and Asia\, becoming Assistant Professor at Hong Kong 
 Baptist University in 2024.</p><p>[/accordion]</p><p>[accordions collapsibl
 e=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="<strong>Zheng Rong\, MA</stron
 g>"]</p><p>Doctoral Student</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist University\, Department
  of Geography</p><p><strong>Title:</strong> Extreme Temperatures and Transi
 t Use in Immigrant-Concentrated Neighborhoods: Evidence from New York City<
 /p><p><strong>Abstract:</strong> Public transit is especially important for
  people who depend on it for daily travel and access to essential services\
 , serving as a vital link to social inclusion. Existing studies have found 
 that new immigrants are often more dependent on public transportation. At t
 he same time\, climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme heat a
 nd cold\, which may disrupt transit use in unequal ways. However\, there is
  still limited evidence on whether temperature affects transit use differen
 tly across neighborhoods with different immigrant compositions\, and whethe
 r flexible transit services are more resilient than fixed-route modes. This
  study combines bus and subway smart card data\, paratransit ridership reco
 rds\, high-resolution weather data\, and neighborhood demographic informati
 on for New York City in 2023. Using hourly panel data and high-dimensional 
 fixed-effects models\, we estimate the effects of temperature on transit us
 e and examine whether these effects vary across neighborhoods with differen
 t shares of immigrants. The results show that both hot and cold temperature
 s reduce transit use. The negative effect of extreme heat is larger in neig
 hborhoods with higher immigrant shares. In contrast\, declines in paratrans
 it ridership are smaller than those in bus and subway ridership\, suggestin
 g that paratransit is less sensitive to adverse temperature conditions. The
 se findings suggest that immigrant-concentrated neighborhoods may face grea
 ter mobility disruption under extreme heat and that flexible transit servic
 es can play an important role in supporting more inclusive climate adaptati
 on.</p><p><strong>Bio: </strong>Rong Zheng is a third-year PhD student in t
 he Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. His research fo
 cuses on the resilience and equity implications of emerging transport modes
 \, with a particular interest in their role in shaping more sustainable and
  inclusive transport systems.</p><p>[/accordion]</p><p>[accordions collapsi
 ble=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="<strong>Kaxton Siu\, Ph.D.</
 strong>"]</p><p>Associate Professor</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist University\, Ac
 ademy of Geography\, Sociology and International Studies</p><p>[/accordion]
 </p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="<
 strong>Tsz Chung Lai</strong>"]</p><p>PhD Candidate</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist
  University\, Academy of Geography\, Sociology and International Studies</p
 ><p><strong>Title:</strong> Rural urban Circuits of Reactive Coupling: Work
 ers’ Precarity\, Mobility Tactics\, and Coupled Governance in Cambodia’s Ga
 rment Economy</p><p><strong>Abstracts: </strong>urban circuit governed by c
 oupled governance—an interlocked regime in which shop‑floor efficiency gove
 rnance and off‑factory social governance mutually reinforce each other acro
 ss city and countryside. At the macro level\, Cambodia’s strategic coupling
  to buyer‑driven apparel global production networks—and episodic decoupling
  via the pandemic\, EU’s partial suspension of Everything But Arms (EBA) tr
 ade preferences for Cambodia\, and U.S. tariff cycles—injects order and pri
 ce volatility into this circuit. At the meso level\, coupled governance man
 ages and transmits that volatility through two intertwined subsystems: effi
 ciency governance on the factory side subsistence‑anchored base pay\, routi
 nized overtime\, short‑term contract cycling\, age‑selective non‑renewal\, 
 rotational suspensions with nominal retainers) and social governance spanni
 ng the rural–urban divide (tripartite minimum‑wage setting and paper‑orient
 ed audits\, thin social protection with weak portability\, land‑collaterali
 zed microfinance\, and kin‑based childcare and food support). At the micro/
 household level\, workers exercise agency by practicing reactive coupling f
 rom below along the circuit: They anchor in Phnom Penh when overtime sustai
 ns subsistence and retreat to villages during suspensions to cut costs and 
 tap reverse remittances. They switch factories to chase bonuses and hours a
 cross seasons\, rotate care between city and village\, stack side gigs and 
 informal finance\, renegotiate debts and collateral\, bid for supervisory r
 oles\, and shift sectors or destinations when possible. These mobility tact
 ics are patterned by life stage\, gendered care responsibilities\, debt clo
 cks\, and the erosion of rural fallback through land sales and collateraliz
 ation. Drawing on a 2023–25 mixed‑methods study in Phnom Penh and its perip
 heries (86 worker surveys\; 46 interviews with workers\, unionists\, and NG
 Os)\, we specify cross‑level mechanisms and measures: tempo risk transfer (
 order shocks mapped to contracts\, hours\, suspensions)\, reproduction exte
 rnalization across the rural–urban circuit (who bears food\, care\, schooli
 ng\, downtime)\, and micro‑coupling (mobility and household reconfiguration
  strategies). Centering coupled governance within the rural–urban circuit e
 xplains why incremental wage adjustments and compliance audits—absent downt
 ime insurance\, portable benefits\, debt forbearance\, and childcare suppor
 ts—normalize precarity and restrict intergenerational mobility. Policy leve
 rs should be circuit‑aware and governance‑attuned\, with audits capturing p
 ace and suspension practices\, living‑cost‑based urban wages\, suspension‑l
 inked income support\, protections for small landholdings from predatory co
 llateralization\, portable social insurance across factories and provinces\
 , and mobility supports that enable rather than penalize circular migration
 .</p><p><strong>Bio:</strong> Kaxton Siu is an associate professor at The H
 ong Kong Baptist University. He researches comparative labor migration stud
 ies\, urban sociology\, and youth studies\, specializing in Chinese society
 \, Hong Kong\, Vietnam\, Japan\, and Cambodia. He has published two books: 
 <em>Chinese Migrant Workers and Employer Domination</em> (2020)\, and <em>H
 ong Kong Society </em>(2022).</p><p>Tsz Chung Lai is a PhD candidate at The
  Hong Kong Baptist University. He researches urban sociology\, labor migrat
 ion studies\, development studies\, and community governance\, specializing
  in Hong Kong\, Chinese society\, and Southeast Asia.</p><p>[/accordion]</p
 ><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title="<str
 ong>Jia Tang\, MA</strong>"]</p><p>PhD Candidate</p><p>Hong Kong Baptist Un
 iversity\, Department of Social Work</p><p><strong>Title: </strong>From Mig
 rant Worker to Migrant Grandmother: A Gendered Life Course Perspective</p><
 p><strong>Abstract:  </strong>Existing migration research often examines wo
 men’s labour migration and later-life caregiving separately. Drawing on a g
 endered life course framework\, this study explores how women who migrated 
 for work during their mothering stage later become migrant grandmothers.</p
 ><p>This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with 36 migrant 
 grandmothers in Chongqing\, China\, all of whom had prior labour migration 
 experience during their mothering stage. Preliminary analysis of several tr
 anscripts was conducted using thematic analysis guided by a gendered life c
 ourse perspective. Preliminary findings reveal that women’s transitions are
  shaped by structural pressures\, including rural economic transformation a
 nd urban dual-earner family needs\, and persistent gendered norms positioni
 ng women as primary caregivers. Across the life course\, participants’ care
 giving shifted from “survival-driven economic provision” during the motheri
 ng stage to “intensive\, science-informed caregiving” during the grandmothe
 ring stage. Despite this shift\, women remained bound by gendered care expe
 ctations: mothering was marked by guilt over physical absence\, while grand
 mothering involved navigating physical exhaustion\, spousal separation\, an
 d intergenerational tension. Women exercised agency through strategies such
  as remote mothering\, emotional adaptation\, and selective compromise\, ye
 t these practices operated within\, rather than challenged\, traditional ge
 nder divisions. This study illuminates the continuity of care responsibilit
 ies across women’s life stages. Findings suggest that policies and services
  should recognize the cumulative care burdens faced by migrant grandmothers
  and address gendered assumptions shaping family care arrangements in conte
 mporary China.</p><p><strong>Bio:</strong> Jia Tang is a third-year PhD can
 didate in Social Work at Hong Kong Baptist University. My research focuses 
 on intergenerational relationships\, family care dynamics and older adults 
 in China\, particularly 'floating grandmothers' who migrate from rural to u
 rban areas to provide care for their grandchildren while their adult childr
 en work.</p><p>[/accordion]</p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false
 ]</p><p>[accordion title="<strong>Karen Wong\, Ph.D.</strong>"]</p><p>Assis
 tant Professor</p><p>Chinese University of Hong Kong\, Department of Social
  Work</p><p><strong>Title: </strong>Transnational Family Care and Dementia:
  Experiences of Hong Kong Canadian Immigrant Carers in Vancouver</p><p><str
 ong>Abstract: </strong>Older immigrants with dementia have unique care need
 s\, particularly within transnational contexts. This paper examines the exp
 eriences of 13 Hong Kong Canadian immigrant carers in Vancouver\, a city wi
 th one of the largest Hong Kong diasporas in Canada. Using a transnational 
 lens\, the study highlights how flexible migration patterns shape caregivin
 g practices\, while dementia constrains mobility for both older adults and 
 carers. Participants navigate formal care systems by drawing on dual frames
  of reference—Hong Kong and Canada—and negotiate between cultural preferenc
 es and pragmatic reliance on mainstream services. Information and communica
 tion technology (ICT) emerges as a vital tool\, enabling families to sustai
 n culturally meaningful care and involve relatives abroad in decision-makin
 g. Findings underscore the need for practitioners to recognize migration tr
 ajectories and for policymakers to expand ethnocultural services and ICT ac
 cess. This study extends transnational family care literature by foreground
 ing dementia-specific experiences.</p><p><strong>Bio: </strong>Karen Lok Yi
  Wong (she/her) is an Assistant Professor at The Chinese University of Hong
  Kong. She earned her PhD at UBC. Her research examines dementia\, transnat
 ional caregiving\, and cultural diversity in aging. A registered social wor
 ker\, she has extensive experience in elder care in Canada.</p><p>[/accordi
 on]</p><p>[accordions collapsible=true active=false]</p><p>[accordion title
 ="<strong>Song Yao\, Ph.D.</strong>"]</p><p>Assistant Professor</p><p>Hong 
 Kong Baptist University\, Academy of Chinese\, History\, Religion and Philo
 sophy</p><p><strong>Title: </strong>Algorithmic Care: Evaluating AI in Supp
 orting Newcomer Settlement from a Human-Centric Approach in Hong Kong</p><p
 ><strong>Abstract: </strong>Digital technologies and artificial intelligenc
 e (AI) are increasingly incorporated into migration governance and social s
 ervice delivery\, reshaping how care\, connection\, and settlement support 
 are organised for newcomers. While AI-enabled systems promise efficiency\, 
 accessibility\, and personalised assistance\, their implications for social
  care relationships and migrant wellbeing remain insufficiently examined fr
 om a human-centred perspective. This presentation investigates how algorith
 mic tools are emerging within Hong Kong’s newcomer settlement ecosystem and
  evaluates their capacity to support — or potentially constrain — meaningfu
 l forms of social connection and care. Drawing on interdisciplinary researc
 h combining migration studies\, social policy analysis\, and human-centred 
 AI frameworks\, the study analyses case examples of AI-assisted information
  services\, digital platforms used by community organisations\, and automat
 ed decision-support systems relevant to newcomer integration. The research 
 examines three key questions: (1) how AI mediates access to settlement reso
 urces\; (2) how algorithmic systems reshape the roles of social organisatio
 ns and care providers\; and (3) whether digital forms of assistance enhance
  or weaken relational dimensions of care essential for inclusion. Findings 
 suggest that while AI can reduce informational barriers and extend service 
 reach\, effective settlement support depends on hybrid models that integrat
 e technological efficiency with community-based and relational care practic
 es. The presentation proposes a framework of “algorithmic care” that foregr
 ounds accountability\, cultural sensitivity\, and human oversight in AI-sup
 ported migration services. By situating technological innovation within bro
 ader social organisation processes\, the study contributes to ongoing discu
 ssions about equitable and ethical care infrastructures in migration contex
 ts.</p><p><strong>Bio:</strong> Yao Song is an Assistant Professor at Hong 
 Kong Baptist University. His expertise lies at the intersection of Digital 
 Humanities and Human-Computer Interaction\, with a focus on social analysis
 . He investigates how algorithmic interventions reshape migration governanc
 e\, exploring the human-centric implications of AI on social care\, connect
 ivity\, and newcomer settlement.</p><p>[/accordion]</p>
LOCATION:Jack Bell Building Room 125
GEO:49.264483;-123.255123
URL;VALUE=URI:https://socialwork.ubc.ca/events/event/2026-international-for
 um-on-social-organization-connection-and-care-in-a-migration-context-prelim
 inary-program/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://sowk.cms.arts.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2026/04/International-Forum-2.png
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DTSTART:20260308T100000
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