Neighborhood Attachment, Social Participation, and Willingness to Stay in China’s Low-Income Communities

Abstract

Neighborhood attachment is an important factor that determines political and civic participation, which further help to enhance neighborhood stability. This article explores this argument in the context of Chinese cities. Contrary to common perception, although rural migrants do not identify themselves with the places where they live and do not actively participate in community activities, they express a relatively strong willingness to stay in these places. In contrast, the unemployed or retired urban residents actively participate in community activities but prefer to leave if possible. This article argues that the relation between neighborhood attachment and neighborhood stability is not straightforward, and in this context it is largely determined by the institutional design that excludes migrants’ involvement, turning them into “economic sojourners.”