Population, Space and Place
2019

Transnational migrants in Shanghai: residential spatial patterns and the underlying driving forces (Article)

Wang C. , Li C.* , Wang M. , Yang S.
  • a Chinese Modern City Research Center, School of Social Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
  • b School of Geography, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • c School of Geography, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • d School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China

Abstract

With a remarkably increasing number of transnational migrants settling down in China, their residential spatial distributions in Chinese cities have drawn significant academic attention. This paper investigates recent residential spatial patterns of transnational migrants in Shanghai and the underlying driving forces behind such choices. Based on China's sixth population census and our 30 focus group interviews in 30 neighbourhood committees, this paper finds that comparing with it in the semi-colonial period, Mao's era and the early stages of China's economic reform, transnational migrants' residential spatial patterns in recent times in Shanghai are dispersed in every corner rather than concentrated in specific areas such as the old settlement sites and foreign expert buildings. The paper explains that such residential spatial fragmentation is largely driven by the combined forces of a neoliberal approach in the unique urban political economy in China, globalisation development, individual socioeconomic and demographic concerns and cultural factors. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Author Keywords

residential spatial patterns China Shanghai transnational migrants driving forces

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85075142821&doi=10.1002%2fpsp.2272&partnerID=40&md5=3de34cb0a88e31eff1a1bb31b3fee830
DOI: 10.1002/psp.2272
ISSN: 15448444
Original Language: English