Wittenborg’s Cha-Hsuan Liu Compiles New Book on Asian Diaspora in The Hague

13.02.2025

Unveiling Stories of the Asian Diaspora in The Hague Through Language

Wittenborg Associate Professor Cha-Hsuan Liu has played a key role in compiling Asian Diaspora in The Hague: A Multilingual Wordbook, a fascinating exploration of the lives of Asian immigrants in The Hague.

The book brings together stories from various members of the Asian diaspora and focuses on 25 words that hold cultural and personal significance for those who have made the city their home.

Liu, alongside researcher Enrico Joaquin Lapuz, helped compile and shape the content of the book, which features a range of words from languages such as Mandarin, Filipino and Arabic. Through these words, the book captures moments of personal significance, cultural reflection and the challenges faced by people navigating life in a new country.

One example is the Mandarin word shing fu, which translates as “fortune” or “fortunate.” The contributor from Taiwan shared how this term is used to express good luck and well-being, especially during Chinese New Year when families make dumplings with coins hidden inside for good fortune. This word carries a deeper meaning for the interviewee, who reflects on how the feeling of shing fu — luck and balance — doesn’t quite feel the same in The Hague, where life can feel more structured and planned.

Another example is the word laban, which means “to strive, to fight.” An interviewee from the Philippines shared: “It wasn’t my dream to have a restaurant in The Hague. We bought it from a government auction; the previous owner was deported, and they were looking for someone to take the entire property. We’ve been at our location in Centrum for almost 9 years, and I work very hard to run it. For the business, I always say, ‘I want to work hard for my money now because later on, I want my money to work hard for me.’ If I had to share one word about how I feel about work, it’s laban. You can use it in different ways — when someone’s facing a challenge, whether with family or within yourself. When it happens, you are fighting against these obstacles. It’s something you say to keep going, to never give up.”

The project, which took place over several months in 2023, involved students from Leiden University College (LUC) and volunteers who worked together to conduct interviews with people from diverse backgrounds. The aim was to provide a platform for members of The Hague’s Asian diaspora to share their stories in their own words, creating a more authentic and personal account of their lives.

Liu, who hails from Taiwan, worked closely with the team to ensure that the participants’ voices were heard and that their cultural contexts were respected.

“The goal of this book is to give people from the Asian diaspora an opportunity to share their experiences and languages,” says Liu. “It’s a way to highlight the richness of our multicultural society and offer insights into the different ways people adapt to life in The Hague.”

One of the key aspects of the project was its focus on presenting the words and stories directly from the interviewees, allowing them to guide the conversation and express their feelings and perspectives without the filter of traditional academic research.

With Liu and Lapuz being residents of The Hague and having come from Asian backgrounds themselves (Taiwan and the Philippines), they have a personal connection to this project.

This connection was amplified once contact was made with the interviewees. In the end, this responsibility led to some difficulty in putting together the final list of words and presenting the stories, as the concept of the project at this stage often clashed with the traditional role of an academic researcher. Conventional research requires the researcher to act as a bridge between their subject and the rest of the world, interpreting and representing their stories on their behalf. However, in doing so, this perpetuates an “outsider looking in” or top-down point of view that inevitably takes away from the voices of the interviewees themselves. In participating in this project, not only were the researchers able to connect with their interlocutors, but many members of the Asian diaspora were also able to meet and connect with each other, further enriching the local communities in The Hague.

Through Asian Diaspora in The Hague, Liu and the team hope to spark greater understanding and dialogue within the local community. By showcasing the linguistic and cultural diversity that exists within the city, they aim to promote inclusivity and empathy, encouraging readers to reflect on their own relationships with the people and cultures around them. The book has since gained attention from the Den Haag municipality, and copies are being distributed to libraries by Leiden University. The eBook is also available for free download via the webpage.