Migrant Housing in Urban China: Based on Residential Segregation and Social Exclusion Theory

Abstract

China’s recent waves of internal migration, primarily rural to urban reflect a rapidly urbanizing society. However, how to settle down the migrants to promote the process of urbanization, housing problem has become a central topic among scholars. This article mainly reviews the present situation of migrant housing in urban China from four aspects, such as housing choice, spatial distribution of residence, housing condition and housing satisfactory. Based on residential segregation and social exclusion theory, the research finds that the country’s unique institutional factors, particularly the existing household registration system, together with the individual characteristics, contribute to the overall poor conditions of migrant housing. Thus, several effective measures should be implemented to improve the living standard of migrant housing.