The middle class in metropolitan Chinese cities has become an important social group. With the rapid development of urbanization and constant advancement of suburbanization, the middle class has increasingly come to i...The middle class in metropolitan Chinese cities has become an important social group. With the rapid development of urbanization and constant advancement of suburbanization, the middle class has increasingly come to influence city traffic. Research into middle-class commuting activities thus has practical significance for improving traffic congestion and reducing the commuting burden in metropolitan cities. Based on a dataset formed by 816 completed surveys, this paper analyzes the commuting mode, time and distance of middle-class residents in Guangzhou City using the descriptive statistical method. The results indicate that private cars are the main commuting mode, followed by public transport. Meanwhile, middle-class residents mainly undertake medium-short time and medium-short distance commuting. The study subsequently uses multilevel logistic regression and multiple linear regression models to analyze the factors that influence commuting mode choice, time and distance. The gender, age, number of family cars, housing source and jobs-housing balance are the most important factors influencing commuting mode choice; housing, population density, jobs-housing balance and commuting mode significantly affect commuting time; and transport accessibility, jobs-housing balance and commuting mode are the notable factors affecting commuting distance. Finally, this paper analyzes what is affecting the commuting activities of middle-class residents and determines the differences in commuting activity characteristics and influence factors between middle-class and ordinary residents. Policy suggestions to improve urban planning and urban management are also proposed.展开更多
In the process of China’s dynamic social changes over the past decades, the young-parent identity construction of an emerging middle class and the resulting changes of social-cultural values in this context have attr...In the process of China’s dynamic social changes over the past decades, the young-parent identity construction of an emerging middle class and the resulting changes of social-cultural values in this context have attracted the attention of academic research in recent years. With the focus on the discursive construction of parent identity, this study examines the utilization of first-person pronouns in three different interactional contexts, namely, parent-teacher interaction, parent-parent interaction, and parent-child interaction. The study further explores the patterns of alignment between the parents and their children, parents and teachers of their children, and peer parents during the process of identity construction, followed by a discussion of the implication that young, emerging middleclass Chinese parents fundamentally shape themselves as "concerned" and "involved" parents and the change of values between collectivity and agency. The study not only demonstrates the dynamic and pluralistic nature of parent identity but also deepens our understanding of the indexical roles of first-person pronouns in the discursive construction of emerging middle-class Chinese parent identity and its relationship with the recent social-cultural changes in the Chinese context.展开更多
The United Nations estimate that by 2030 about half of the world’s population would be comprised of the middle-class,who mostly live in the increasing number of megacities around the world.Southeast Asian megacities,...The United Nations estimate that by 2030 about half of the world’s population would be comprised of the middle-class,who mostly live in the increasing number of megacities around the world.Southeast Asian megacities,such as Metropolitan Manila,have long been troubled by rapid urbanization,increasing disaster risk,and the looming impacts of climate change.As a response,there is a growing focus on disaster and climate resilient policies in megacities,most of which have only centered on how future disasters and climate uncertainty would impact vulnerable communities.This has resulted in policies that cater towards relocation of the poor to combat disasters and climate change.This exploratory study attempts to elucidate how the middle-class views disasters and land reclamation in Metro Manila,the Philippines.Using an online questionnaire survey of 425 middle-class respondents,the study shows that middle-class perception of risk potentially amplifies vulnerability and reduces the resilience of the poor.While knowledge about the risks is high,the capacity of the middle class to act is low,especially compared to vulnerable communities.Also,climate change and disasters are viewed primarily as environmental issues,which is compounded by inadequate defenses.Land reclamation,along with coastal informal settlements,are viewed as an intrusion into the environment.This study finds that the middle-class’s perception of risk may marginalize the poor by favoring eviction of vulnerable communities in coastal areas,including those targeted for land reclamation,under the pretext of controlling the city’s population growth and environmental impact.展开更多
This essay psychologically illustrates that Jane's anxiety for the restoration of her middle-class identity makes Jane consistently categorize herself as a middle-class woman,which is represented by her consciousn...This essay psychologically illustrates that Jane's anxiety for the restoration of her middle-class identity makes Jane consistently categorize herself as a middle-class woman,which is represented by her consciousness of her position,her identification with her affluent master,and her irritation at being demoted to a lower class.Therefore,under cover of her critical comments on the morality of the middle class,Jane actually strives for her admission to that class.展开更多
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41271182)
文摘The middle class in metropolitan Chinese cities has become an important social group. With the rapid development of urbanization and constant advancement of suburbanization, the middle class has increasingly come to influence city traffic. Research into middle-class commuting activities thus has practical significance for improving traffic congestion and reducing the commuting burden in metropolitan cities. Based on a dataset formed by 816 completed surveys, this paper analyzes the commuting mode, time and distance of middle-class residents in Guangzhou City using the descriptive statistical method. The results indicate that private cars are the main commuting mode, followed by public transport. Meanwhile, middle-class residents mainly undertake medium-short time and medium-short distance commuting. The study subsequently uses multilevel logistic regression and multiple linear regression models to analyze the factors that influence commuting mode choice, time and distance. The gender, age, number of family cars, housing source and jobs-housing balance are the most important factors influencing commuting mode choice; housing, population density, jobs-housing balance and commuting mode significantly affect commuting time; and transport accessibility, jobs-housing balance and commuting mode are the notable factors affecting commuting distance. Finally, this paper analyzes what is affecting the commuting activities of middle-class residents and determines the differences in commuting activity characteristics and influence factors between middle-class and ordinary residents. Policy suggestions to improve urban planning and urban management are also proposed.
基金a part of the Chinese MOE Key Research Project of Humanities and Social Science (Project No.: 16JJD740006) conducted by the Centre for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
文摘In the process of China’s dynamic social changes over the past decades, the young-parent identity construction of an emerging middle class and the resulting changes of social-cultural values in this context have attracted the attention of academic research in recent years. With the focus on the discursive construction of parent identity, this study examines the utilization of first-person pronouns in three different interactional contexts, namely, parent-teacher interaction, parent-parent interaction, and parent-child interaction. The study further explores the patterns of alignment between the parents and their children, parents and teachers of their children, and peer parents during the process of identity construction, followed by a discussion of the implication that young, emerging middleclass Chinese parents fundamentally shape themselves as "concerned" and "involved" parents and the change of values between collectivity and agency. The study not only demonstrates the dynamic and pluralistic nature of parent identity but also deepens our understanding of the indexical roles of first-person pronouns in the discursive construction of emerging middle-class Chinese parent identity and its relationship with the recent social-cultural changes in the Chinese context.
基金supported by the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science Global Leadership Initiative of the University of Tokyo and the Monbukagakusho(MEXT)Japanese Government Scholarshipsupported by the Social Dimensions of Climate Change Adaptation and Coastal Reclamation:Comparative Prospects in Urban Asia Project funded through the Short-Term Seed Grants for Collaborative Research on Asia by Social the Science Research Council(U.S.A.)the Henry Luce Foundation.
文摘The United Nations estimate that by 2030 about half of the world’s population would be comprised of the middle-class,who mostly live in the increasing number of megacities around the world.Southeast Asian megacities,such as Metropolitan Manila,have long been troubled by rapid urbanization,increasing disaster risk,and the looming impacts of climate change.As a response,there is a growing focus on disaster and climate resilient policies in megacities,most of which have only centered on how future disasters and climate uncertainty would impact vulnerable communities.This has resulted in policies that cater towards relocation of the poor to combat disasters and climate change.This exploratory study attempts to elucidate how the middle-class views disasters and land reclamation in Metro Manila,the Philippines.Using an online questionnaire survey of 425 middle-class respondents,the study shows that middle-class perception of risk potentially amplifies vulnerability and reduces the resilience of the poor.While knowledge about the risks is high,the capacity of the middle class to act is low,especially compared to vulnerable communities.Also,climate change and disasters are viewed primarily as environmental issues,which is compounded by inadequate defenses.Land reclamation,along with coastal informal settlements,are viewed as an intrusion into the environment.This study finds that the middle-class’s perception of risk may marginalize the poor by favoring eviction of vulnerable communities in coastal areas,including those targeted for land reclamation,under the pretext of controlling the city’s population growth and environmental impact.
文摘This essay psychologically illustrates that Jane's anxiety for the restoration of her middle-class identity makes Jane consistently categorize herself as a middle-class woman,which is represented by her consciousness of her position,her identification with her affluent master,and her irritation at being demoted to a lower class.Therefore,under cover of her critical comments on the morality of the middle class,Jane actually strives for her admission to that class.
