Abstract

In mainstream sociological research, the inner world of social agents tends to be downplayed. In this paper, I argue however, that emotions play a crucial part in constituting identity construction. Drawing on Reay (2000, 2005), I will set out to discuss how ‘emotional capital’ as well as what I term ‘emotional deficit’ play out in the identity construction endeavours of nine migrant students from mainland China who study in a university in Hong Kong. I will briefly rehearse the theoretical roots from which stem my arguments of ‘emotional codes’ and ‘emotional code clash’; I will then expound my arguments with a range of empirical evidence drawn from an intensive stint of ethnographic exploration in HK between September 2013 and March 2014.