TY - JOUR
T1 - Interpreting Chinese Hukou System from a Foucauldian Perspective
AU - Wang, Fenglong
AU - Liu, Yungang
N1 - Funding Information:
The author is grateful to Dr Chaoqun Liu, Prof Stuart Elden and Prof Donggen Wang for their comments on the early versions. The usual disclaimer applies. This work was supported by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council [grant number HKBU244610]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 41371181], [grant number 41271165], [grant number 41130747]; Chinese Research Programme Fund of Humanities and Social Sciences [grant number 12YJAGJW007].
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council [grant number HKBU244610]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 41371181], [grant number 41271165], [grant number 41130747]; Chinese Research Programme Fund of Humanities and Social Sciences [grant number 12YJAGJW007].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, © 2018 Editorial Board, Urban Policy and Research.
PY - 2018/4/3
Y1 - 2018/4/3
N2 - The Chinese hukou system has been a hot topic in China study for decades. It not only restricts access to state-sponsored benefits (such as food and housing provision) in pre-reform China, but continues to influence the local-led urbanization in post-reform era. However, few studies have explained why this highly exploitative system persists in China. This paper tries to contribute some insights to interpretation of this issue based on Foucault’s concept of governmentality. It is argued that Chinese hukou system is actually a power relation consisting of a series of governmental technologies based on differentiation, surveillance and calculation in pursuit of economic growth and political stability. The governmental techniques and rationality within the Chinese institutional system make the hukou system persist in modern China.
AB - The Chinese hukou system has been a hot topic in China study for decades. It not only restricts access to state-sponsored benefits (such as food and housing provision) in pre-reform China, but continues to influence the local-led urbanization in post-reform era. However, few studies have explained why this highly exploitative system persists in China. This paper tries to contribute some insights to interpretation of this issue based on Foucault’s concept of governmentality. It is argued that Chinese hukou system is actually a power relation consisting of a series of governmental technologies based on differentiation, surveillance and calculation in pursuit of economic growth and political stability. The governmental techniques and rationality within the Chinese institutional system make the hukou system persist in modern China.
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U2 - 10.1080/08111146.2016.1159190
DO - 10.1080/08111146.2016.1159190
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84964691877
SN - 0811-1146
VL - 36
SP - 153
EP - 167
JO - Urban Policy and Research
JF - Urban Policy and Research
IS - 2
ER -
