Peter S. Li, Ph.D., D.Litt., C.M., FRSC (BA, 1971, University of Hawaii, M.A., 1972, Ph.D., 1975, Northwestern University) is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Saskatchewan. His research areas are race and ethnicity, immigration, Chinese Canadians, and Chinese overseas.  He has published over 100 academic papers and 11 books, including The Chinese in Canada (OUP, 1988, 1998), The Making of Post-War Canada (OUP, 1996) and Destination Canada (OUP, 2003).  He has served as a consultant and an advisor to various federal departments, including Statistics Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Canadian Heritage, regarding policies of immigration, multiculturalism, race relations and social statistics.  During the 1994 national consultations on immigration initiated by the federal government, he was appointed by the Minister of Immigration as co-chair of a national expert panel to develop strategies on integration of immigrants. In 2005, he was appointed by the Governor in Council, Canada, as a director (2005-2008) of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development. In 2009, he was appointed to the National Statistics Council (2009-14).  He is the recipient of several prestigious awards and titles. In 2002, he received the “Outstanding Contribution Award” from the Canadian Sociology Association for his contributions to sociology in Canada.  In 2011, he was awarded the Earned Doctor of Letters by the University of Saskatchewan, and in 2012, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Governor General of Canada.  He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2015.

Selected Publication:
Authored Books:

Henry, Frances, Enakshi Dua, Carl E. James, Audrey Kobayashi, Peter Li, Howard Ramos and Malinda S. Smith

2017 The Equity Myth: Racialization and Indigeneity at Canadian Universities.  Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Li, Peter S.
2003 Destination Canada: Immigration Debates and Issues. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Li, Peter S.
1998 The Chinese in Canada, Second Edition. Toronto: Oxford University Press. (First edition published in 1988)

Li, Peter S.
1996 The Making of Post-war Canada. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Li, Peter S.
1988 Ethnic Inequality in a Class Society. Toronto: Wall and Thompson.

Bolaria, B. Singh and Peter S. Li
1988 Racial Oppression in Canada, second and enlarged edition. Toronto: Garamond Press. (First edition published in 1985).

Li, Peter S.
1981 Social Research Methods. Scarborough, Ontario: Butterworths.

Edited Books:
Li, Peter S. (ed.)
1999 Race and Ethnic Relations in Canada, Second Edition. Toronto: Oxford University Press (first edition published in 1990), 414 pp.

Li, Peter S. and B. Singh Bolaria, (eds.)
1994 Essentials of Contemporary Sociology. Toronto: Copp Clark Longman, 410 pp.

Li, Peter S. and B. Singh Bolaria, (eds.)
1993 Contemporary Sociology: Critical Perspectives. Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 657 pp.

Li, Peter S. and B. Singh Bolaria (eds.)
1983 Racial Minorities in Multicultural Canada. Toronto: Garamond Press, 169 pp.

Guest Editor of Special Issues for Academic Journals
Peter S. Li and Jean L. Kunz (eds.)
2004 Special Issue: The Role of Social Capital in Immigrant Integration. Journal of International Migration and Integration, Vol. 5, No. 2.

Abu-Laban, Sharon McIrvin and Peter S. Li (eds.)
1998 Special Issue: Canadian Immigration and Immigrant Adaptation at the Millennium. Canadian Ethnic Studies, Vol. 30, No. 3.

Li, Peter S., (ed.)
1994 Special Issue: Racial and Ethnic Inequality. Canadian Ethnic Studies, Vol. 26, No. 3.

Li, Peter S., (ed.)
1993 Special Issue: The Family and The Economy. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Autumn).

Papers in Refereed Journals:

Li, Eva Xiaoling, Peter S. Li and Li Zong

2016 “Profile of Small Businesses Among Chinese in Vancouver.”  Canadian Ethnic Studies 48(2): 53-70.

Li, Eva Xiaoling and Peter S. Li

2016 “Immigrant Enclave Thesis Reconsidered: Case of Chinese Immigrants in the Enclave and Mainstream Economy in Canada.”  Journal of International Migration and Integration 17(1): 131-151.

Li, Peter S. and Eva Xiaoling Li

2013 “Decomposing Immigrants’ Economic Integration in Earnings Disparity: Racial Variations in Unexpected Returns.” Canadian Ethnic Studies 45 (3): 81-94.

Li, Eva Xiaoling, Peter S. Li, and Li Zong, Hua Wen, Rong Wen, & Abuduhade

2013  “Integration of Minority Migrant Workers in Lanzhou, China.” Canadian Ethnic Studies 45 (3): 117-131.

Li, Peter S.

2012 “Differences in Employment Income of University Professors.” Canadian Ethnic Studies 44 (2): 41-50.

Li, Peter S. and Eva Xialing Li

2011 “Changes in the Chinese Overseas Population, 1955-2007.” Canadian Review of Sociology 48 (2): 137-152.

Li, Peter S. and Eva Xialing Li

2011 “Vancouver Chinatown in Transition.”  Journal of Chinese Overseas 7 (1): 7-23.  [Reprinted in Bernard P Wong and Tan Chee-Beng, eds., Chinatowns Around the World: Gilded Ghetto, Ethnopolis, and Cultural Diaspora. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2013, pp. 19-34.]

Li, Peter S.

2010 “Ethnic Relations and Racial Relations of Chinese Overseas.”  Journal of Xi’an Jiaotong University (Social Sciences) 30(101): 7-11.Li, Peter S. and Eva Xialing Li2008   “University-Educated Immigrants from China to Canada: Rising Number and Discounted Value.”  Canadian Ethnic Studies 40 (3): 1-16.

Li, Peter S.

2008 “Immigration from China to Canada in the Age of Globalization: Issues of Brain Gain and Brain Loss.”  Pacific Affairs 81(2): 217-239.Li, Peter S.2008 “The Role of Foreign Credentials and Ethnic Ties in Immigrants’ Economic Performance.” Canadian Journal of Sociology 33(2): 291-310.

Li, Peter S.

2008 “Reconciling with History: The Chinese-Canadian Head Tax Redress.” Journal of Chinese Overseas 4 (1): 127-140.

Li, Peter S.

2007-8  “World Migration in the Age of Globalization: Policy Implications and Challenges.”  New Zealand Population Review 33/34: 1-22.

Li, Peter S., Liming Li and Li Zong

2007 “Postgraduate Educational Aspirations and Policy Implications: A case study of university students in western China.” Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 29(2): 143-158.

Li, Peter S. and Chunhong Dong

2007 “Earnings of Chinese Immigrants in the Enclave and Mainstream Economy.” Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology 44(1): 65-99.  

Li, Peter S.
2005 “The rise and fall of Chinese immigration to Canada: Newcomers from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and Mainland China, 1980-2000.” International Migration 43(3): 9-32.

Li, Peter S.
2004 “On Immigrant Integration: Reply to Stoffman.” Journal of International Migration and Integration 5(4): 505-514.

Li, Peter S.
2004 Social capital and economic outcomes for immigrants and ethnic minorities.” Journal of International Migration and Integration 5(2): 171-190.

Li, Peter S.
2003 “The place of immigrants: Politics of difference in territorial and social space.” Canadian Ethnic Studies 35(2): 1-13.

Li, Peter S.
2003 “Deconstructing Canada’s discourse of immigrant integration.” Journal of International Migration and Integration 4(3): 315-333.

Li, Peter S.
2003 “Initial earnings and catch-up capacity of immigrants.” Canadian Public Policy 29(3): 319-337.

Li, Peter S.
2002 “Immigrants’ educational worth and years in Canada: A reply.” Canadian Public Policy 28(2): 321-325.

Li, Peter S.
2001 “The economics of minority language identity.” Canadian Ethnic Studies 33(3): 1-21.

Li, Peter S.
2001 “Immigrants’ propensity to self-employment: Evidence from Canada.” International Migration Review 35(4): 1106-1128.

Li, Peter S.
2001 “The racial subtext in Canada’s immigration discourse.” Journal of International Migration and Integration 2(1): 77-97.

Li, Peter S.
2001 “Chinese Canadians in business.” Asian and Pacific Migration Journal 10(1): 99-121.

Li, Peter S.
2001 “The market worth of immigrants’ educational credentials.” Canadian Public Policy 27(1): 23-38.

Li, Peter S.
2000 “Earning disparities between immigrants and native-born Canadians.” Canadian Review Sociology and Anthropology 37(3): 289-311.

Li, Peter S.
2000 “Economic returns of immigrants’ self-employment.” Canadian Journal of Sociology 25(1): 1-34.

Li, Peter S. and Yahong Li
1999 “The consumer market of the enclave economy: A study of advertisements in a Chinese daily newspaper in Toronto.” Canadian Ethnic Studies 31(2): 43-60.

Li, Peter S.
1997 “Self-employment among visible minorities, white immigrants, and native-born persons in secondary and tertiary industries of Canada.” Canadian Journal of Regional Sciences 22 (1,2): 103-117.

Li, Peter S.
1995 "Racial supremacism under social democracy." Canadian Ethnic Studies 27 (1): 1-17.

Li, Peter S.
1994 "A world apart: The multicultural world of visible minorities and the art world of Canada." Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology 31: 365-391.

Li, Peter S.
1994 "Unneighbourly houses or unwelcome Chinese: The social construction of race in the battle over 'monster homes' in Vancouver." International Journal of Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies 1: 47-66.

Li, Peter S.
1994 "Self-employment and its economic return for visible minorities in Canada." New Approaches to Employee Management 2: 181-199.

Li, Peter S.
1993 "Labour reproduction and the family under advanced capitalism: Female labour force participation and fertility in twentieth century Canada." Journal of Comparative Family Studies 24: 367-385.

Li, Peter S.
1993 "Chinese investment and business in Canada: Ethnic entrepreneurship reconsidered." Pacific Affairs 66: 219-243.

Li, Peter S. 1992 "Race and gender as bases of class fractions and their effects on earnings." Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology 29: 488-510.

Li, Peter S.
1992 "Ethnic enterprise in transition: Chinese Business in Richmond, B.C., 1980-1990." Canadian Ethnic Studies 24: 120-138.

Li, Peter S. and Dawn Currie
1992 "Gender differences in work interruptions as unequal effects of marriage and childrearing: Findings from a Canadian national survey." Journal of Comparative Family Studies 23: 217-229.

Li, Peter S.
1990 "The emergence of the new middle class among the Chinese in Canada." Asian Culture 14: 187-194.

Li, Peter S. and Brian D. MacLean
1989 "Changes in the rural elderly population and their effects on the small town economy: The case of Saskatchewan, 1971-1986." Rural Sociology 54: 213-226.

Denis, Wilfrid B. and Peter S. Li
1988 “The politics of language loss: A Francophone case from Western Canada." Journal of Education Policy 3: 351-370.

Li, Peter S.
1988 "The economic cost of racism to Chinese-Canadians." Canadian Ethnic Studies 19: 102-l13.

Satzewich, Victor and Peter S. Li
1987 "Immigrant labour in Canada: The cost and benefit of ethnic origin in the job market." Canadian Journal of Sociology 12: 229-241.

Li, Peter S.
1985 "The use of oral history in studying elderly Chinese-Canadians." Canadian Ethnic Studies 17: 67-77.

Li, Peter S. and W.B. Denis 1983 "Minority enclave and majority language: The case of a French town in Western Canada." Canadian Ethnic Studies 15: 18-32.

Li, Peter S.
1982 "Chinese immigrants on the Canadian prairie, 1910-47." Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology 19: 527-540.

[Reprinted in G. Lowe and H. Krahn, (eds.), Working Canadians:
Reading in the Sociology of Work and Industry. 1984, pp. 117-125. Toronto: Methuen.]

[Reprinted in L. Tepperman and J. Curtis, (eds.), Readings in Sociology, 1988, pp. 315-323. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.]

Li, Peter S.
1977 "Occupational achievement and kinship assistance among Chinese immigrants in Chicago." Sociological Quarterly 18: 478-489.

Li, Peter S.
1977 "Fictive kinship, conjugal tie and kinship chain among Chinese immigrants in the U.S." Journal of Comparative Family Studies 8: 47-63.

Li, Peter S.
1976 "Ethnic businesses among Chinese in the U.S." Journal of Ethnic Studies 4: 35-41.

Encyclopedia Entry
Li, Peter S.
2006 “Canadian racial formation” in Nicole Watkins, ed., Encyclopedia of Race and Racism. Farmington Hills, MI: Macmillian Reference USA.

Li, Peter S.
2004 “Chinese.” In The Oxford Companion to Canadian History. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Li, Peter S.
1999 “Chinese.” Pp. 355-373 in Paul R. Magocsi, ed., Encyclopedia of Canada’s Peoples. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Chapters in Books:

Li, Eva Xiaoling and Peter S. Li

2018  “From Cold War to Open Door: The Making of the Chinese Community in Canada.”  Pp. 36-54 in. Bernard P. Wong and Tan Chee-Beng, eds., China’s Rise and the Chinese Overseas. London and New York: Routledge.

Li, Eva Xiaoling and Peter S. Li

2017  “The Making of New Chinese Immigrants in Canada.”  Pp. 369-402 in Min Zhou, ed., Contemporary Chinese Diasporas.  Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.

Li, Eva Xiaoling and Peter S. Li

2017 “New Immigrants from China to Canada, 1980-2009: Migration Patterns and Economic Performance.”  Pp. 137-171 in Lloyd Wong, ed., Chinese Mobilities and Canada.  Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Li, Eva Xiaoling and Peter S. Li

2014  “Religious Affiliation and Propensity to Christianity of Chinese in Canada.”  Pp. 169-183 in Tan Chee-Beng, ed., Chinese Overseas: Religions, Identity and Transnational Networks.  Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.

Li, Peter S. and Eva Xiaoling Li

2013   “The Chinese Overseas Population.”  Pp.15-28 in Tan Chee-Beng, eds., Routledge Handbook of the Chinese Diaspora.  London and New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Li, Peter S.

2012  “Federal and Provincial Immigration Arrangements in Canada: Policy Changes and Implications.”  Pp. 87-111 in Dan Rodriguez-Garcia, ed., Managing Immigration and Diversity in Canada.  Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Li, Peter S. and Eva Xiaoling Li

2012   “Migrant Workers in Canada.”  Pp. 111-125 in James Frideres and John Biles, eds., International Perspectives: Integration and Inclusion.  Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Li, Peter S.

2011   “Immigrants from China to Canada: Issues of Supply and Demand of Human Capital.”  Pp. 73-95 in Leo Suryadinata, ed.,  Migration, Indigenization, and Interaction: Chinese Overseas and Globalizaiton.  Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.

Li, Peter S.

2010   “Chinese Entrepreneurship in Canada.”  Pp. 199-211 in Open for Business: Migrant Entrepreneurship in OECD Countries.  OECD Publishing.

Li, Peter S.

2009   “The Social Construction of Chinese in Canada.”  Pp. 223-243 n Huping Ling, ed., Asian America: Forming New Communities and Expanding Boundaries.  New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.

Li, Peter S.

2009   “People of the Land: Population Changes in Saskatchewan.”  Pp. 1-12 in Jene M. Porter, ed., Perspectives of Saskatchewan.  Winnipeg, Manitoba: University of Manitoba Press.

Li, Peter S.

2007 “Busniess Engagement of Chinese Immigrants in Canada.”  Pp. 144-156 in Leo-Paul Dana, ed., Handbook of Research on Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship.  Glos, U.K.: Edward Elgar Pubnlishing.

Li, Peter S. 

2007 “Business owners and workers: Class locations of Chinese in Canada”.  Pp.173-191 in Eric Fong and Chiu Luk, eds. Chinese Ethnic Business: global and local perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge.

Li, Peter S.

2007 “Contradictions of ‘racial’ discourse”.  Pp.37-54 in Vijay Agnew, ed. Interrogating Race and Racism. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Li, Peter S.

2007   “The use of administration data in research on recent Chinese immigrants to Canada.”  Pp. 103-117 in Tan Chee-Beng, Colin Storey, and Julia Zimmerman, eds., Chinese Overseas: Migration, Research and Documentation.  Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.

Li, Peter S.

2006 “Transnational migration and the making of the Chinese middle class in Canada.”  Pp. 59-67 in David Ip, Raymond Hibbins, and Wing Hong Chiu, eds. Experiences of Transnational Chinese Migrants in the Asia-Pacific.  New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Li, Peter S.
2005 “The search for social justice in the Chinese Canadian Redress Case: The Limits of Jurisprudence.” Pp. 383-398 in Micheline Labelle, Rachad Antonius, and Georges Leroux, eds., Le devoir de mémoire et les politiques du pardon. Sainte-Foy, Quebec: Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Li, Peter S.
2003 “Chinese diaspora in Occidental societies: Canada and Europe.” Pp. 134-151 in Dirk Hoerder with Christiane Harzig and Adrian Shubert, eds., Diversity in History: Transcultural Interactions from the Early Modern Mediterranean World to the Twentieth Century Postcolonial World. New York: Berghahn Books.

Li, Peter S.
2003 “Visible minorities in Canadian society: Challenges of racial diversity.” Pp. 117-153 in Danielle Juteau, ed., Social Differentiation: Patterns and Processes. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Li, Peter S. and Li Zong
2001 “Transnational Chinese businesses in Tianjin: Rethinking cultural affinity and economic performance.” Pp. 208-226 in Leo Douw, Cen Huang and David Ip, eds., Rethinking Chinese Transnational Enterprises: Cultural Affinity and Business Strategies. Richmond, UK: Curzon Press.

Li, Peter S.
1999 “Overseas Chinese networks: A reassessment.” Pp. 261-284 in Chan Kwok Bun, ed., Chinese Business Networks: State, Economy and Culture. Singapore: Prentice-Hall.
[Also appeared in Yu Chungshun, ed., Ethnic Chinese: Their Economy, Politics and Culture, 2000, pp. 107-134. Tokyo: Japan Times.]

Li, Peter S
. 1999 "Race and ethnicity." Pp. 3-20 in Peter S. Li, ed., Race and Ethnic Relations in Canada, Second Edition.. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Li, Peter S.
1999 “The multiculturalism debate.” Pp. 147-176 in Peter S. Li, ed., Race and Ethnic Relations in Canada, Second Edition.. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Li, Peter S.
1998 “The market value and social value of race.” Pp. 113-130 in Vic Satzewich, ed., Racism and Social Inequality in Canada. Toronto: Thompson.

Li, Peter S.
1997 “Asian Capital and Canadian Business: The Recruitment and Control of Investment Capital and Business Immigrants to Canada.” Pp. 363-379 in Wsevolod W. Isajiw, ed., Multiculturalism in North America and Europe: Comparative Perspectives on Interethnic Relations and Social Incorporation. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.

Li, Peter S.
1997 “Biases in benchmarking immigrants.” P. 112-118 in Baha Abu-Laban and Tracey M. Derwing, eds., Responding to Diversity in the Metropolis: Building an Inclusive Research Agenda. Edmonton: Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Integration.

Zong, Li and Peter S. Li
1994 "Different cultures or unequal life chances: A comparative analysis of race and health." Pp. 113-123 in B. Singh Bolaria and Rosemary Bolaria, (eds.), Racial Minorities, Medicine and Health. Halifax, N.S.: Fernwood Publishing.

Li, Peter S.
1992 "The economics of brain drain: The recruitment of skilled labour to Canada, 1954-86." Pp. 154-162 in Vic Satzewich, (ed.), Deconstructing a Nation: Immigration, Multiculturalism and Racism in '90s Canada. Halifax: Fernwood Press.

Li, Peter S.
1992 "The Chinese minority in Canada, 1858-1992: A quest for equality." Pp. 264-277 in Evelyn Huang and Lawrence Jeffery, (eds.), Chinese Canadians: Voices From a Community. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.

Li, Peter S.
1990 "Race and ethnicity." Pp. 3-17 in P.S. Li (ed.), Race and Ethnic Relations in Canada. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Li, Peter S.
1990 "Race and ethnic relations." Pp. 257-286 in L. Tepperman and R.J. Richardson (eds.), The Social World, Second Edition. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Dickinson, Harley, Wilfrid Denis and Peter S. Li
1988 “Respiratory disease in Saskatchewan: Some social and ecological variations.” Pp. 125-132 in Gurharn S. Basran and David Hay, eds., Politcal Economy of Agriculture in Western Canada. Toronto and Saskatoon: Garamond Press and Social Research Unit, University of Saskatchewan.

Li, Peter S.
1988 "Constructing immigrants' work worlds from oral testimonies." Pp. 149-155 in D.E. Moore and J.H. Morrison (eds.), Work, Ethnicity, and Oral History. Halifax: International Education Centre.

Li, Peter S.
1986 "Sociological methods of research." Pp. 35-57 in L. Tepperman and R.J. Richardson (eds.), The Social World. McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Denis, Wilfrid B. and Peter S. Li
1984 "L'oppression des Fronsaskois de 1875 a 1983." Pp. 75-110 in A. Lalonde (ed.), La Langue, La Culture et La Societe des Francophones de l'Ouest. Regina: Centre d'etudes Bilingue.

Li, Peter S.
1983 "The Chinese-Canadian family." Pp. 134-150 in P.S. Li and B.S. Bolaria (eds.), Racial Minorities in Multicultural Canada . Toronto: Garamond Press.

Li, Peter S.
1983 "The limitations of survey research." Pp.16-23 in J.A. Fry (ed.), Contradictions of Canadian Society. Rexdale, Ontario: John Wiley & Sons.

Li, Peter S.
1980 "Income achievement and adaptive capacity: An Empirical Comparison of Chinese and Japanese in Canada." Pp. 363-378 in K.V. Ujimoto and G. Hirabayashi (eds.), Visible Minorities and Multiculturalism: Asians in Canada. Scarborough, Ontario: Butterworth.

Li, Peter S. and B. Singh Bolaria
1979 "Canadian immigration policy and assimilation theories." Pp. 411-422 in J. Fry (ed.), Economy, Class and Social Reality. Scarborough, Ontario: Butterworth.

 

Chinese Canadians Chinese overseas immigration inequality multiculturalism race and ethnicity research methods and statistics

Race and Ethnic Studies, Chinese Overseas, Immigration, Multiculturalism, Social Inequality