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Discrimination against Rural-to-Urban Migrants: The Role of the Hukou System in China

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  • Lei Kuang
  • Li Liu

Abstract

China's rural-urban dual society system is instituted by its unique hukou system. This system causes inequalities in social status between permanent urban and rural residents, and discrimination against rural-to-urban migrants is thus prevalent. A series of studies, based on system justification theory, sought to address the impact of the hukou system on the discrimination against rural-to-urban migrants. Study 1 showed that the justification of the hukou system could predict discrimination operationalized using a social distance measure. Study 2 found that priming of the proposed abolishment of the current hukou system led to reduced social distance. Study 3, using a recruiting scenario, further demonstrated that priming of the proposed abolishment of the system led to reduced discrimination in salary decision. Consistent with our predictions, discrimination against rural-to-urban migrants could be triggered by justifying the current hukou system, while priming of the abolishment of the system serves to decrease discrimination. The present research thereby sheds light on China's reform of its hukou system to achieve social justice and equality from a psychological perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Lei Kuang & Li Liu, 2012. "Discrimination against Rural-to-Urban Migrants: The Role of the Hukou System in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(11), pages 1-8, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0046932
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046932
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peilin Li & Wei Li, 2007. "Economic Status and Social Attitudes of Migrant Workers in China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Roberts, Kenneth D., 2001. "The determinants of job choice by rural labor migrants in Shanghai," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 15-39.
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    2. Xin Qin & Xin Liu & Jacob A. Brown & Xiaoming Zheng & Bradley P. Owens, 2021. "Humility Harmonized? Exploring Whether and How Leader and Employee Humility (In)Congruence Influences Employee Citizenship and Deviance Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 147-165, April.
    3. Xiahai Wei & Yang Jiao & Glenn Growe, 2019. "Language skills and migrant entrepreneurship: evidence from China," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 981-999, December.
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    5. Castro Campos, Bente, 2014. "Official Ethnic Labels and Non-Agricultural Work in Guizhou (China)," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 53(2), pages 1-28, May.
    6. Cheng, Zhiming & Guo, Wei & Hayward, Mathew & Smyth, Russell & Wang, Haining, 2021. "Childhood adversity and the propensity for entrepreneurship: A quasi-experimental study of the Great Chinese Famine," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    7. Li Hao, 2022. "Impact of Relaxing the Hukou Constraints on Return Migration Intentions: Evidence from China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(2), pages 583-607, April.
    8. Zhiling Wang & Lu Chen, 2019. "Destination choices of Chinese rural–urban migrant workers: Jobs, amenities, and local spillovers," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 586-609, June.
    9. Tom Lane, 2020. "Along which identity lines does 21st-century Britain divide? Evidence from Big Brother," Rationality and Society, , vol. 32(2), pages 197-222, May.
    10. Ying Liu & Rongrong Zhang & Ming Li & Chunshan Zhou, 2020. "What Factors Influence Rural-To-Urban Migrant Peasants to Rent out Their Household Farmland? Evidence from China’s Pearl River Delta," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-19, October.
    11. Zhu, Yumei & Österle, August, 2017. "Rural-urban disparities in unmet long-term care needs in China: The role of the hukou status," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 30-37.
    12. Nan Sun & Fan Yang, 2024. "Effects and Mechanisms of Rural‒Urban Migration on Health in China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(2), pages 1-23, April.

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