The Impact Of Social Discrimination And Identity On Migrant Workers’ Willingness To Return To Their Hometown

The return of rural migrant workers to employment is the endogenous power to promote the development of the rural economy and a key component of rural areas revitalization.It is also vital in narrowing the urban-rural gap and promoting the integrated development of urban and rural areas.Especially since the 21 st century,under the condition of the large outflow of the rural labor force and the rural hollowing,migrant workers returning home to start businesses is particularly important for developing the countryside.This paper sorts out the studies on social discrimination,identity and the willingness of migrant workers to return home,applies the push-pull theory,Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory,social exclusion theory,social identity theory and identity control theory into the theoretical analysis,and puts forward relevant hypotheses.Based on data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey(CMDS)in 2017,the probit model,the mediation effect model and the instrumental variable method,this study systematically investigates the impact of social discrimination and the role of identity on migrant workers’ willingness to return home.Results reveal that social discrimination significantly contributes to migrant workers’ willingness to return home,and the conclusion still holds after using instrumental variables to alleviate the endogeneity issue.As for the transmission mechanism,identity is a crucial channel through which social discrimination affects migrant workers’ willingness to return home,showing a partial mediating effect.Specifically,the impact of social discrimination on migrant workers’ willingness to return home mainly exists in the sample of rural residents in the western and northeast regions,the old generation,the low income,and the mobility within the province.Based on the above research and conclusions,this paper proposes the following policy suggestions: promoting the positive image of migrant workers and encouraging them to improve their quality of life can help to alleviate the social discrimination against migrant workers,strengthen their identity and promote their roots in cities.Secondly,providing a good platform for returning migrant workers enhances their willingness to "actively" return home.Lastly,finding a balance between urban expansion and rural contraction,the government accelerates the improvement of the system of labor mobility,reduces and eliminates obstacles and difficulties in labor mobility,and provides a good platform for migrant workers who return to their hometowns to start their businesses.