Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/114095 
Year of Publication: 
2015
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 9213
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Migration of any distance separates family members for long periods of time. In China, an institutional legacy continues to privilege the migration of working-age individuals who often leave children and elders behind in the rural areas. Up to now, the literature has treated children and elders analogously, labeling each group "left-behind". We argue that analysis of elder stayers needs to be more nuanced, distinguishing among differing groups of elders. Of these groups, those living alone without any adult children in the village are most at risk of negative consequences of migration, while those living with other non-migrant children are much less affected by migration. We find evidence, when focusing on the consequences of migration on elders, that an elder-centric analysis is preferable to a migrant-child-centric analysis.
Subjects: 
living arrangements
aging
China
rural
elderly
left behind
at risk
migration
JEL: 
J12
J14
J21
J26
O53
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
368.4 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.