Moving beyond the “All or Nothing” Framework to Understand China’s Changing Hukou and Migration Policies

• In Event: 584 - Section on Sociology of Development Paper Session. Population and Development: Beyond Malthus; Beyond Moderrnization

Abstract

The hukou system is a dynamic but enduring system that shapes migration and perpetuates China’s infamous urban-rural divide. Scholars argue that reforms to the hukou system are simply window dressing, leading to minor adjustments that do little to alter the core dualistic structure that characterizes Chinese society and economy. This is because policy has been localized, allowing large wealthy cities like Beijing and Shanghai protect their generous local social welfare programs by maintaining restrictive hukou policies, while small cities have nothing to lose, encouraging them to initiate hukou reform and welcome migrants. This study extends brings China’s second-tier cities into the analysis. In terms of size, second-tier cities are located in the middle of the spectrum between the extremes of large global cities and small cities, but in terms of importance, they are home to a majority of China’s population and an increasing number of migrants. This study shows how second tier cities move beyond the all or nothing approach to hukou reform that is adopted by large global and small cities. It presents a comparative case study of local migratory regimes in four cities: one mega-metropolis (Beijing), two second-tier cities (Nanjing and Wuhan) and one small city (Tongling), and reveals that local hukou policies and migratory regimes are determined not only by the wealth of a city but also by the local political economy and the ways in which cities are connected and integrated into the global economy.

Author

• Sarah Christine Swider, Wayne State University