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" Gift Giving and Reciprocity Among Chinese Malaysians and its Implications for the Evangelical Church in the United States "
Lindquist, Molly Ann
Meneses, Eloise
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Latin Dissertation
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| Language of Document
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English
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| Record Number
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1055116
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| Doc. No
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TL54233
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| Main Entry
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Lindquist, Molly Ann
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| Title & Author
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Gift Giving and Reciprocity Among Chinese Malaysians and its Implications for the Evangelical Church in the United States\ Lindquist, Molly AnnMeneses, Eloise
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| College
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Eastern University
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| Date
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2020
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| Degree
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M.A.
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| student score
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2020
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| Note
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138 p.
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| Abstract
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With a focus on gift-giving, anchored in cultural identity, and Christian practice among ethnically Chinese Malaysians, this research explores the relational, appraisal, and congruence dimensions surrounding an exchange theme. The Chinese Malaysian gift giver considers what is behind the cultural tradition and beyond new societal transitions when giving and receiving. This thesis captures the relational, appraisal, and congruence dimensions of gift-giving. The relational theme points to signs of firmly held social cohesion structures and framework. The appraisal captures the theme of personal investment, and finally, the congruence theme captures formality as in cultural appropriateness connected to personal belief. The research generates themes of understanding culture change and observes new creative spaces for individuals to flourish outside of their geographical home location. It also adds to a unique comprehension of cultural flow for thriving within the diaspora and beyond. I asked informants questions about their culture, and many shared details of an Asian Christian faith while contextualizing their belief. The ethnographic research surveys rich knowledge from both Malaysia’s home setting and transient international experience in the US. The initial focus began with the theme of reciprocity in gift-giving. In 2018 and 2019, I had opportunities to travel to Malaysia, including personal experience in both a Chinese tea ceremony and a wedding. I interviewed individuals formally in the fall of 2019. Contributing to this project are the informant responses from the personal interviews. Responses reveal a valued way of life shared as stories from history, from informants communicating their personal views, and family experiences associated with their cultural traditions. This work offers a more in-depth sociocultural view to my participant observant experience, which adds to a more holistic view of humanity. Adding a theological component to this research broadens and deepens the whole social phenomenon. I identified many perspectives when discussing what one believes behind the traditions celebrated. Stepping closer to investigate the specific Chinese traditions pointed to commonalities within the continuing change in culture to what connects established practices with human experience to move forward in their local and global contexts.
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| Descriptor
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Asian studies
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Cultural anthropology
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Theology
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| Added Entry
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Meneses, Eloise
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Eastern University
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