IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/chinae/v34y2026i3p118-150.html

Industrial Robots and the Social Integration of Migrants

Author

Listed:
  • Yuanyuan Li
  • Yingshang Tang
  • Dawei Feng
  • Haoyu Hu

Abstract

Robotics advances society, but it may also undermine the welfare of vulnerable groups. Although prior studies have reported mixed evidence on the relationship between robotics and income inequality, the effects of robotization on the social integration of rural migrant workers have remained insufficiently understood. Using data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey and the International Federation of Robotics, this study examined how robotization affected the social integration of rural migrant workers in China. It showed that robotization significantly reduced social integration. Specifically, a 1 standard deviation increase in robot adoption lowered the social integration score by 0.04 standard deviations. The negative effect arose mainly from reduced employment opportunities, weaker prospects for career advancement, and lower entrepreneurial intentions. Policies easing hukou registration requirements and promoting a more inclusive culture could mitigate these effects. These findings offer policy implications for China in responding to technological change and improving migration governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuanyuan Li & Yingshang Tang & Dawei Feng & Haoyu Hu, 2026. "Industrial Robots and the Social Integration of Migrants," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 34(3), pages 118-150, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:chinae:v:34:y:2026:i:3:p:118-150
    DOI: 10.1111/cwe.70029
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/cwe.70029
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/cwe.70029?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:chinae:v:34:y:2026:i:3:p:118-150. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iwepacn.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.