Warm Sensations: Exploring the mobile material cultures of heating inChinese migrant homes in Australia

Supervisors

Prof. Sarah Pink

The project

Yidan’s doctoral research explores everyday practices in Chinese migrants’ homes in Victoria related to heat and warmth, revealing how energy use is embedded in areas of comfort, health, and technology. Through qualitative and ethnographic methods – home visits, visual documentation, interviews – she looks into how everyday objects like thermal flasks and lounge wear, or architectural elements such as window insulation, are linked to their energy practices and adaptations to life in Victoria. Her engagement with Chinese community groups, including English corners and classes, has been crucial in building trust with non-English speaking households, who are often reluctant to engage with the energy sector due to language barriers and scam anxiety. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) households are significantly underrepresented in energy research (Gordon et al., 2023). As a female Chinese migrant researcher, she brings unique cultural insights and trust-building capabilities to address this critical gap in understanding diverse communities’ energy experiences.