When the wall is broken: Rural-to-Urban migration, perceived inequality, and subjective social status in China. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wei, Lai
• Is Part Of: Research in social stratification and mobility. Volume 82(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Migration -- China -- Subjective Social Status -- Perceived Inequality -- Reference Group; Social mobility -- Periodicals; Occupational mobility -- Periodicals; Social status -- Periodicals; Social conflict -- Periodicals; Social classes -- Periodicals; Mobilité sociale -- Périodiques; Mobilité professionnelle -- Périodiques; Statut social -- Périodiques; Conflits sociaux -- Périodiques; Classes sociales -- Périodiques; 305.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rssm.2022.100731
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0276-5624

Abstract

Abstract: Economic development in China in the recent decades features both striking between-region economic inequality and robust between-region migration flow. What happens when the largest internal migration in human history cooccurs with severe regional inequality? This article investigates how migration affects subjective outcomes with a particular focus on the influence of inequality and social comparison. Using a nationally representative longitudinal survey dataset that tracks migrants through the migration cycle, I found that migration has a negative causal effect on subjective social status, and a positive causal effect on perceived inequality. The effects on subjective social status and perceived inequality persist even after migrant workers return home. Employing a novel operationalization of reference group, I show that migration's persisting negative effect on subjective social status is a result of its lasting effect on reference standard. In sum, migrants' reference standards are changed by the migration experience, and the switch has lasting effects on subjective social status. I discuss the implications of the findings on the theories of subjective inequality, subjective social status, and reference group.