ABSTRACT
Most existing perspectives in migration research assume a high degree of uniformity of migration processes. Economic and employment opportunities are widely considered the most powerful determinants of migration volume and pattern in many countries (Lewis 1954; Todaro 1976). In China, too, the role of economic considerations is prominent, which partly explains the attention paid to labor migration more than to other types of migration. Population movements are, however, highly heterogeneous. A fuller understanding of internal migration in China demands attention to a multitude of migration reasons and types, each reflecting in important ways the coexistence of state control and market mechanisms. The objective of this chapter is to examine in detail the socioeconomic characteristics and migration processes associated with different types of migration.
