Journal of Community Psychology
Volume 39, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 89-105

Social capital and community participation among migrant workers in China (Article)

Palmer N.A.* , Perkins D.D. , Xu Q.
  • a Vanderbilt University, United States
  • b Vanderbilt University, United States
  • c Boston College, United States

Abstract

In China, rapid development has prompted massive migration from rural to urban areas. Migrants' participation in Urban Residents Committees (URCs) and other community organizations offers opportunities for the development of social capital and democracy in contemporary China. We use 2006 survey data from a stratified convenience sample of 3,024 migrant workers in 7 Chinese cities to examine individual and community social capital and their relation to 3 types of community participation: (a) amount of contact with community organizations, (b) frequency of help sought from community organizations, and (c) the rate of participation in URC meetings. Multiple regressions yield, among 12 measures of individual and community-focused social capital, only neighborhood interaction and organizational social capital as consistently and significantly associated for all 3 types of participation. Other measures were associated with certain types of participation, or were nonsignificant. Implications for migration policy, community participation, and social capital in China are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc..

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Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78649791829&doi=10.1002%2fjcop.20419&partnerID=40&md5=28cdea56dac9920ed80874f1a3d4fde2

DOI: 10.1002/jcop.20419
ISSN: 00904392
Cited by: 35
Original Language: English