Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2018, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (3): 105-135.

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Gendered Pathways to Rural-to-Urban Hukou Conversion and Income Returns in Mainland China: An Analysis Based on CGSS2008-2013 Data

GUO Wei, LU Jiaying   

  1. School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University
  • Online:2018-05-20 Published:2018-05-20
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by the project of National Social Science Foundation of China (NSSFC) in the title of "A Study on the Weakening Familial Support for the Elderly in Western Rural China" (14CRK014),and the China Scholarship Council.

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Abstract:

This study is a quantitative investigation of gendered pathways to rural-to-urban hukou conversion and income return using the Heckman selection model and multiple regression analysis with interaction terms based on the data from the CGSS(2008-2013). It attempts to help further understand the context of the ongoing household registration system reform in China. We use the 2008 purchasing power as a standardized measure for this study. The results indicate that men achieve the rural to urban hukou transition mainly through selective mobility tools such as education and job recruitment,while women depend more on policy programs such as land resettlement and marriage. However,the proportion of rural women who obtain urban hukou through selective mobility means increased significantly since China's reform. As for the income return of rural-urban hukou conversion,the study shows that within the group of conversion by selective mobility means,women score higher than men. In addition,the income return effect of rural-urban hukou conversion declines as time passes. A significant decline is especially noticed for men as the household registration reform deepens. Our study provides a systematic analysis of quantitative results through the lens of gender role changes in the modernization process of China,and discusses difficulties and potential conflicts facing the future reform of the Chinese household registration system.

Key words: household registration system reform, income return, gender, rural-urban hukou conversion