1. Occupational and social mobility of skilled migrants: an intersectional analysis.
- Author
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Tan, Yining
- Subjects
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OCCUPATIONAL mobility , *INTERSECTIONALITY , *SOCIAL mobility , *GROUP identity , *RACE - Abstract
Research on skilled migration has grown substantially in recent years. Drawing on 58 in-depth interviews with skilled Americans in China, this paper explores how the intersectionality of race, gender, and citizenship shapes their occupational and social mobility, and whether these two forms of mobility align. The findings suggest that skilled migrants’ social identities simultaneously create both advantages and disadvantages in their occupational and social mobility. I coined the term ‘glass box’ to describe their experiences: while many enjoyed enhanced occupational mobility, they eventually hit a ‘glass ceiling’ that blocked access to top positions and faced ‘glass walls’ that pigeonholed them into a narrow range of occupations. However, their social identities also brought privileges, forming a ‘glass floor’ that protected them from employment precarity. Their social mobility, extending beyond occupational mobility, improved to varying degrees after migration to China but declined rapidly and unexpectedly following the outbreak of COVID-19. While changes to skilled Americans’ occupational and social mobility aligned most of the time, there were notable exceptions where these two forms of mobility shifted in opposite directions. Such contradictory experiences highlight the persistent structural barriers that shape their professional and social trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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