Identity Development in the Ancestral Homeland: A Chinese Heritage Perspective

This study examines the lived experiences of identity of 4 Chinese Heritage Language (CHL) students participating in a year‐long study abroad program in China. In a narrative inquiry, we draw on 2 mutually complementary theoretical frameworks—the Theory of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) and Self‐Categorization Theory (Turner et al., 1987)—to shed light on the individual trajectories of identity development, which cannot be fully unveiled by proficiency assessment. By exploring the behavioral, socio‐psychological, and discursive dimensions of CHL identity in the ancestral homeland, which is largely overlooked in CHL research, this study contributes to a more comprehensive theory of CHL development. It also provides empirical grounding for meaningful intervention in study abroad programming and pre‐departure preparation.