How urban size affects the social integration of migrant workers:A comparative analysis of informal and formal employment
The social integration of migrant workers in cities is an important task in the construction of new-type urbanization in China.In response to the insufficient understanding of the relationship between different urban sizes and the social integration of migrant workers in existing research,this paper reveals the impact of the urban size factor on social integration of urban migrant workers with considering the difference between informal and formal employment.It uses the methods of multiple linear regression,mediation effect model,and Markov chain Monte Carlo based on the data from 2017 National Dynamic Monitoring Survey of Floating Population.Main findings are summarized as follows.First,the larger the urban size,the lower the social integration of migrant workers in cities,especially in terms of the integration of living conditions and social interaction,on which the urban size has the biggest hindering effects.However,urban size has a promoting effect on the economic integration of migrant workers,reflecting the economic attractiveness of big cities.Second,urban size has uneven effects on the social integration of informal and formal workers.Urban size generates a greater hindering effect on the social,psychological,and cultural integration of informal migrant workers than their formal counterparts,but a smaller promoting effect on their economic integration.Third,migrant workers'desire to reside and settle in cities weakens the direct negative effect of urban size on their social integration,and this weakening effect is greater in the formal employment group.This indicates that migrant workers'desire to reside or settle in the destination city plays a role in stimulating their social integration and that the stimulating effect is stronger for formal workers than the informal.It is suggested that the policies should be made to stimulate and enhance the desire of migrant workers to reside and settle in cities with giving weight to informal workers due to their relative disadvantage in the social integration.This study supports the policy of gradually deregulating hukou(household registration)restrictions in cities as it contributes to enhancing migrant workers'willingness to settle down and improving their social integration.Although people face high competition in big cities and not everybody is able to settle,this does not prevent cities from becoming places or space of hope where everyone can see the hope of settling and realize his/her aspiration for a better life.
万方数据
维普
