| This research asks whether the French expatriates residing in Shanghai are cosmopolitan. Do the French retain the basic elements of their culture of origin within a mostly exclusive French community? Or, due to the nature of the globalized corporate world to which they belong, do they develop a community as part of an international cosmopolitan one with its own cultural norms and patterns of behavior?;Globalization and transnationalism make us homogenized and heterogenized at the same time. This research looks into the social interactions of the French with other nationalities, and goes beyond the daily life in Shanghai to investigate the transnational connections with France. Based on interviews and participant observation for 12 months in 2006, this research finds that the majority of the French expatriates in Shanghai develop a cosmopolitan culture which incorporates the consumption of exotic cultural products of the Other---Asian antiques, furniture, Chinese materials which are not for decoration, reading French literature including that on the exotic Asia, learning Chinese and English language, speaking English, mobility, and French lifestyle. However, they are not cosmopolitan in terms of social network.;Globalization has witnessed the wide-spread adoption of English language and Anglo-American culture. Today the French, a previous world power, are still trying to promote the radiance of French haute culture. This research adds to the study of cultural imperialism and also contributes to the anthropological study of foreign communities in China, by linking cosmopolitanism, globalization, and transnationalism. |
