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This study investigates how Chinese media represent the identities of rural left-behind elders amidst population aging and migration.

Dependency or empowerment? A Critical Discourse analysis of rural left‑behind elders’ identity construction in Chinese news reports

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Critical discourse analysis examines identity construction of rural left-behind elders in Chinese media, indicating broader societal narratives.

This study investigates how Chinese media represent the identities of rural left-behind elders amidst population aging and migration.
Analyzed 457 China Daily reports from 2014 to 2024
Utilized Critical Discourse Analysis and mixed-method design incorporating topic modeling and predication analysis
Identified a dependency-empowerment binary in media representations
Portrayed elders as dependents, familial sentinels, and economically productive,
Showed representation aligns with state agendas and global aging discourses

Cai et al. (2026) studied this question.

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Critical discourse analysis examines identity construction of rural left-behind elders in Chinese media, indicating broader societal narratives.