Struggling around “dagong”: discourses about and by migrant workers in the Pearl River Delta

Oct 22, 2026

Ph.D. dissertation focusing on “dagong” and the discourses surrounding it among migrant workers in the Pearl River Delta. The study examines both discourses about migrant labor and discourses produced by migrant workers themselves, combining theoretical and empirical inquiry informed by fieldwork in China. It acknowledges the guidance of thesis supervisors, extensive academic feedback, support from journalists and editors, and collaboration through research discussions and collegial review, culminating in the thesis work defended in the 2007–2008 academic year.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages349

Reading Time14 h 39 min

AccessFree to download

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART I : RESEARCH QUESTIONS, METHODOLOGY AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1 A Review of the literature and main research questions and hypothesis

1.1 A review of scholarly works on discourse and representation of rural migrants

1.2 Why a study

Institut des sciences humaines et sociales Université de Liège Struggling around “dagong”: discourses about and by migrant workers in the Pearl River Delta Ph.D. dissertation Submitted by Eric Florence to obtain the degree of ‘Doctor in political and social sciences’ Thesis supervisors: Jean-Philippe Béja, Directeur de recherche au CERI (Paris) Marco Martiniello, Directeur de recherche au FNRS Academic year 2007-2008 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want first to express my sincere gratitude to Caroline for her presence, for her constant and decisive support during these eight years. I dedicate this work to her. Tom’s smile and laughter have provided me with precious additional energy towards the end of this dissertation. I wish to thank my parents for having encouraged me all along the way. My father passed away just one week before the final achievement of this work, I also dedicate it to him. I am particularly grateful to my thesis supervisors Jean-Philippe Béja and Marco Martiniello. From my first mail which described a still rather vague project to the conclusion of this dissertation, Jean-Philippe Béja has guided me thanks to his communicative enthusiasm, to his quick and insightful feedbacks despite often long periods without hearing of me. I am thankful to Marco Martiniello for his great availability, his confidence and his rigorous supervision of my dissertation. I want to thank also Thomas Scharping and Pierre Verjans for having accepted to provide feedbacks within very short notice on my work, both in May and November 2007. The assistance of several Chinese journalists and editors has proved crucial for carrying out fieldwork in China. I wish to thank them for their invaluable help. The many discussions I have had with Guy Massart on an ethnography of the state have also been helpful in building theoretical and empirical questioning. Likewise, the exchanges shared with Xiang Biao, Pun Ngai, Zhao Yuezhi, Rachel Murphy, Helga Leitner and Sarah Mahler have contributed to bringing about this dissertation. I would like to thank my colleagues from CEDEM, Hassan Bousetta, François Gemenne, Sonia Gsir, JérômeJamin, Jean-Michel Lafleur and Emanuelle Letexier for having checked and having made suggestions on specific parts of this dissertation. On the whole, I have had the chance to work within a highly stimulating and positive research atmosphere at CEDEM. I am grateful to Regina and Henri, Marie-Rose and Germain for the “logistical” assistance they have provided and which has also been of critical importance during the last few months of writing this manuscript. Eventually, thanks to their eagerness to communicate their experiences, to their kindness and the confidence they granted me with, the migrant workers met in China have somewhat enlivened this dissertation. In this sense, it is perhaps also theirs. REMERCIEMENTS Pour sa présence, son soutien constant et déterminant tout au long de ces huit années de cheminement, ma gratitude va d’abord à Caroline, ma compagne. Je lui dédie ce travail. Merci à Tom pour ses sourires et rires qui ont été un supplément précieux d’énergie dans la dernière ligne droite. Je souhaite exprimer ma profonde reconnaissance envers mes parents qui n’ont eu de cesse de m’encourager. Je dédie aussi ce travail à mon père qui nous a quittés une semaine avant l’accomplissement de cette thèse. Je voudrais remercier particulièrement Jean-Philippe Béja et Marco Martiniello, mes directeurs de thèse. De mon premier courrier lui faisant état d’un projet des plus balbutiants, jusqu’à la conclusion de cette thèse, Jean-Philippe Béja m’a épaulé par son enthousiasme communicatif, ses feedbacks rapides et avisés malgré desouvent longs silences de ma part. Je remercie très vivement Marco Martiniello pour sa disponibilité, saconfiance, ses encouragments, ainsi que sa supervision rigoureuse de ma thèse. Merci aussi à Thomas Scharpinget à Pierre Verjans d’avoir accepté de réagir à mon travail da

FAQs

What is the dissertation topic regarding “dagong” and migrant workers?

It examines discourses about and by migrant workers in the Pearl River Delta, focusing on how “dagong” is articulated and represented.

How was the dissertation supported during fieldwork and research in China?

It emphasizes the crucial assistance of Chinese journalists and editors for carrying out fieldwork, alongside support from academic colleagues and reviewers.

Who guided the dissertation and provided supervision?

The thesis supervisors are Jean-Philippe Béja and Marco Martiniello, with additional feedback accepted from Thomas Scharping and Pierre Verjans.

Oct 22, 2026

Upload by gewufjwa