Social Stability, Migrant Subjectivities, and Citizenship in China’s Resettlement Policies

Abstract

This chapter rethinks citizenship and migrant subjectivities in the context of dam development in China. In detail we answer the following questions: How have the rationalities put forth by Chinese dam resettlement policies changed since the 1980s? Which new practices have evolved that are used to form dam migrant subjects? And which types of citizenship are produced as a consequence? Building upon previous studies that have shown how China has applied a graduated citizenship approach towards internal migrants and national minorities, we argue that post-resettlement support schemes such as ‘Constructing a Beautiful Home’ (meili jiayuan jianshe) introduce new forms of social citizenship that further differentiate society. This scheme builds on pastoral and benevolent technologies of government aimed at reducing the perceived risk of social instability by reintegrating affected households into the Chinese national development narrative. In doing so, the scheme establishes a neo-socialist governmentality that further marginalises dam migrants. We show that new programmes implemented in dam resettlement villages are designed to create self-responsible and docile migrant subjects that are proud of their new identity rather than contesting it.