Migration, son preference and self-selection Project
Published: 20 May 2025
Research into migration and son preference in China reveals how urban environments may reshape gender norms. A British Academy-funded project at ASBS explores the impact.
Migration and Gender Norms in China: Understanding Son Preference
How do migration and the environment shape gender preferences? A cross-institutional research project explores how cultural values and urban contexts intersect to influence fertility choices in China.
Investigating the Roots of Gender Preference
In many societies, longstanding cultural norms have favoured sons over daughters, influencing key life decisions, from family size to how parents invest in their children. This project, funded by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust, investigates how much of that son preference stems from tradition, and how much is shaped by economic and social conditions.
Focusing on China’s large-scale rural-to-urban migration, the study examines whether moving into urban environments leads to shifts in family planning decisions and gender norms. Does living in a city make people more likely to prefer balanced or smaller families? And what happens when individuals from different cultural backgrounds settle in the same urban setting?
Culture or Context? A Closer Look at Migration
Developed through a collaboration between Dr Anwen Zhang (Adam Smith Business School), Dr Kai Liu (University of Cambridge), Dr Xiangqing Liu (University of Padua), and Dr Zhongliang Deng (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), the project applies advanced econometric methods to examine how self-selection in migration influences fertility choices and gender preferences.
By comparing migrants who settle in the same urban areas but come from diverse rural backgrounds, the team aims to disentangle the influence of cultural beliefs from that of the urban environment. The findings could offer a deeper understanding of how migration can both challenge and reinforce gendered social norms.
Informing Policy for Gender Equality
The implications of this research extend far beyond demographic analysis. If local context plays a decisive role in shaping gender preferences, this suggests that policies which improve education, healthcare, and employment opportunities could foster more equitable norms. Likewise, supporting migrant integration in cities may serve as a catalyst for long-term change.
Rather than trying to change deep-seated cultural beliefs head-on, this project advocates for a broader strategy: focus on inclusive social policy and urban development to gradually shift attitudes and behaviours. The work aligns with global efforts to address inequalities, particularly gender-based disparities in family and social life.
For further information, contact business-school-research@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 20 May 2025