Research on Multi-Dimensional Influencing Factors Regarding the Perceived Social Integration of New Urban Immigrants: An HLM Analysis Based on Data from 58 Large-and Medium-Sized Cities in China

Abstract

Based on the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) data from 2018 and the data from 58 large-and medium-sized cities in China, in this paper a hierarchical linear model was used to investigate the impact of demographic characteristics, social participation, and economic and social development on the perceived social integration of new urban immigrants at the individual and urban levels. The results revealed the following: (1) social participation, gender, age, education, health status, flow time and housing type of new urban immigrants had a significant positive impact on their perceived social integration, while income showed a U-shaped relationship with the sense of urban social integration; (2) macro-urban characteristics regulated the correlation between micro-individual factors and perceived social integration; (3) the significant advantages of new urban immigrants with higher education and more social participation in the process of integration into urban society were more obvious in cities with higher levels of economic development or public services. These findings enriched relevant research on the factors influencing the social integration of new urban immigrants and provided valuable insight with which the government could use to improve urban construction and promote the equalization of basic public services.