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<p>The phenomenon of left-behind children (LBC) in China—children who remain in rural areas while their parents migrate to cities for work—has emerged as a significant social issue since the 1980s, driven by rapid industrialization and urbanization. This paper critically reviews and analyzes existing research on LBC, identifying key gaps and challenging dominant narratives that portray these children as inherently vulnerable. By situating LBC experiences within broader socio-cultural, economic, and policy contexts—particularly the constraints of the hukou (household registration) system—the paper offers a nuanced understanding of their lived realities and capacities for agency. It reflects on how dominant academic, media, and political discourses often portray LBC through a lens of vulnerability and deficit and suggests that social work research and practice could benefit from attending to the diversity of their lived experiences. Emphasizing the importance of cultural and social sensitivity, the paper highlights the strengths and resilience of LBC and calls for research that amplifies their voices. It advocates for participatory, place-based, and culturally responsive approaches in social work research and practice that engage LBC as competent social actors embedded in their local communities.</p>

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Complicating Vulnerability: Reading the Multiplicity of Discourses on Chinese Left-Behind Children

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年6月9日

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  • Shuang Wu,
  • Fengyuan Zhen

摘要

The phenomenon of left-behind children (LBC) in China—children who remain in rural areas while their parents migrate to cities for work—has emerged as a significant social issue since the 1980s, driven by rapid industrialization and urbanization. This paper critically reviews and analyzes existing research on LBC, identifying key gaps and challenging dominant narratives that portray these children as inherently vulnerable. By situating LBC experiences within broader socio-cultural, economic, and policy contexts—particularly the constraints of the hukou (household registration) system—the paper offers a nuanced understanding of their lived realities and capacities for agency. It reflects on how dominant academic, media, and political discourses often portray LBC through a lens of vulnerability and deficit and suggests that social work research and practice could benefit from attending to the diversity of their lived experiences. Emphasizing the importance of cultural and social sensitivity, the paper highlights the strengths and resilience of LBC and calls for research that amplifies their voices. It advocates for participatory, place-based, and culturally responsive approaches in social work research and practice that engage LBC as competent social actors embedded in their local communities.