Urbanization and urban environmental problems in the context of floating populations in Chinese cities : a study of an urban fringe habitat in Wu Han | |
| Author | Chen, Liang |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. HS-97-02 |
| Subject(s) | Urbanization--China--Wu Han Migration, Internal--China--Wu Han |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. HS-97-02 |
| Abstract | This research is focused on the floating population in China; because now there are millions of them working and living in the cities and metropolises. Actually, these numerous people are the rural surplus laborers. Along with the prosperity of urban economy and the process of urbanization, many of the surplus labors surge to the cities. Their presence in the urban sector has already caused serious effects on social, economic and ecological environment of Chinese cities. Although their advent can promote urban development and economic growth, improve the urban function and substantially increase the income of those poor peasants, the problems caused by them also affect the whole society. This is particularly visible in serious urban environmental deterioration. Thus, the issue of floating population is of great concern to government at all levels. This study identifies the demographic and social characteristics of the floating population in the cities. Most of them are the young male working-age laborers from the adjacent rural areas who migrated for work and business to improve their life and make more money. The majority of them are engaged in the physical work because of their low literacy. Their living and working environment are quite bad - low income, no social welfare, heavy work, dilapidated housing and crowded habitat. Based on such analyses, the study clarifies causes of this large-scale population migration in two contexts: rural pushing force and urban pulling force. The former mainly denotes the rural surplus labor, and the latter takes in view the labor requirement of the cities. This large-scale population migration promotes economic development not only in the urban sector but also in the rural sector; meets the urgent labor requirement in the process of the prosperity of urban economy; and offers a practical solution for livelihoods of the rural surplus laborers. However, the advent of these numerous floating population also aggravate the urban infrastructure; worsen the employment pressure in the cities; mess up the market supply; spoil the urban environment; deteriorate the public security and exacerbate the traffic problem. In view of the identified characteristics of floating population and the causes and effects of migration, the policy and planning countermeasures are proposed in two contexts: urban environment and urbanization process. In the former, the emphasis is laid in short-term solution for stopping urban environmental deterioration due to population migration at the local level. In the latter the emphasis is on long-term strategies for the solution of rural surplus laborers. In this two practicable ways are proposed: one is to develop the rural non-agricultural activities through the development of township enterprises and the te1iiary industries; and another is to promote urbanization in the rural region. |
| Year | 1997 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. HS-97-02 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Amin, A.T.M. Nurul; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Wickramanayake, B.W.E.;Morishita, Hideharu; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | International Institute for Aerospace Survey & Earth Sciences (l.T.C., Netherlands);Government of Japan; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997 |