Complicating Vulnerability: Exploring the Emplaced Experiences of Children with Migrant Parents in Rural Southwest China

Abstract

In China, the wellbeing of children whose parents have migrated to seek employment in cities has been a focus of policy and research concern since the economic reforms of the 1980s. A large number of primarily quantitative studies have explored the impact of parents’ migration on their children’s emotional, behavioural, educational and nutritional wellbeing. As a whole, that body of research presents a view of so-called ‘left-behind children’ as vulnerable-a group at educational, emotional and social risk because of their parents’ migration decisions. While research has begun to recognize the rights and agency of this group, studies from the children’s perspectives remain scarce. Responding to this gap, this study explored how children with migrant parents in rural China engage with and perceive their daily living environment. The study design was grounded in a children’s rights frameworks, the literature on children’s place experiences, perspectives from the sociology of childhood that position children as capable informants, and participatory, place-focused frameworks and research methodologies. Taking a constructivist perspective, the study used photovoice and digital storytelling to explore the perceptions of the everyday lives of 20 children with migrant parents (ages 11-15) from a rural town in Southwest China. The children were invited to photograph local places that evoke happiness or sadness, explain the significance of these photos to peers, and craft a digital story with their chosen images. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift in the study design to online place-focused methods. The findings of this study highlight the strong attachment of the participating children to their homes, families, and family land, revealing their situated agency in key settings and the influence of place and socio-cultural context on their behaviour and perspectives. They also showcase the effectiveness of virtual participatory methods, including smartphone-supported photography and digital storytelling, as flexible and empowering tools for actively involving Chinese children in research, exploring their place experiences, and enabling them to express their views. This study makes a small but important step toward a broadened understanding of ‘left-behind’ children, shedding fresh light on their lives and experiences and contesting common stereotypes. It also introduces new approaches to comprehending and learning from Chinese children, especially those whose lives span a range of structural, cultural and interpersonal complexities.