Migration within China and from China to the USA: The effects of migration networks selectivity and the rural political economy in Fujian Province

摘要

This paper tests a new strategy to study domestic and international migration from China simultaneously. Our theoretical discussion draws on ideas from migration networks theory and the market transition debate. Data collection is modeled on the Mexican Migration Project. We find that education is more important in the initiation of internal migration than international migration. Second, although there is consistent evidence regarding the role of migration networks at a community level, migration networks at a family level show a different pattern compared to that in Mexico-US migration. Third, there is evidence that internal and international migration “deters” each other. Finally, we find that individuals with cadres in the family are less likely to undertake internal migration but more likely to participate in international migration, a finding that highlights the continuing significance of positional power in coastal rural China.