Introducing Migration, Gender and the Service Sector

Abstract

A wave of suicides occurred in Foxconn factory plants across China in 2010, during which 14 workers aged 18–25 died (Lau, 2010). The Foxconn incidents drew my attention to rural migrant workers and motivated me to carry out research on migrant workers. On the theoretical level, I was interested in finding out everyday operation of gender and class. On the personal level, I intended to document experiences of the marginalised groups in Shanghai, the richest city in China.