Analysis of Zimbabwean students studying in China from the perspective of Afrokology: Breaking through, reconstruction and integration

This study examines the cross-cultural adaptation issues and strategies of Zimbabwean students in China through the lens of Afrokology, an African-centred theoretical framework and the concept of ‘cultural bricolage’, a strategy to recombine existing cultural elements into new forms creatively. By qualitative methodologies, including 165 survey questionnaires and twenty in-depth interviews, the research examines how Zimbabwean students proactively navigate cross-cultural challenges such as language barriers, digital divides and social challenges. Findings reveal that Zimbabwean students employ cultural bricolage to creatively remix Zimbabwean and Chinese cultural elements, exemplified by innovative dietary practices, festival celebrations and clothing fusion, and mixed use of multiple digital platforms. The research challenges the ‘host country-dominant’ paradigm in cross-cultural research by centring on African students’ subjectivity and subjective initiative and demonstrating how digital platforms function as ‘fields of cultural negotiation’. This study posits cultural integration as a dynamic process shaped by everyday practices, offering critical insights for China–Africa cultural exchanges in the digital era.