Urbanization, innovation of social policy and construction of a local citizenship identity: A study based on the case of Dongguan City
International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)
No.4, 2013
Urbanization, innovation of social policy and construction of a local citizenship identity: A study based on the case of Dongguan City
(Abstract)
Yue Jinglun, Zhuang Wenjia and Fang Liqing
Through the case study of the Dongguan City, the authors find the identity differences between the urban residents with urban hukou and those with rural hukou can be weakened in a jurisdiction as the social security system is reformed and social policies in innovation. And the floating population can also be selectively awarded with some rights the locals enjoy. The differentiated citizenship in the population of the city has been changed from the two demarcations -- urban-rural and local-outlander – to one: local-outlander. A welfare-state-like “welfare-covering zone” based on a local identity is emerging quietly in the jurisdiction of the city. Although a new system of qualifications for welfare might be beneficial to narrowing the gap of differentiated citizenships and construction of a local identity, it would make China’s social policy more complicated, which is in urgency for the central government to strengthen its planning in entirety in the field of social policy.