What does this research mean for the field?

Women's immobility in split households in peri-urban China is sustained by 'local opportunity anchoring,' wherein nearby employment, facilitated by social networks and care arrangements, makes staying feasible independent of their personal orientations. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate how women in peri-urban split households sustain staying in place during local economic contraction through the framework of local opportunity anchoring.

September 8, 2026Population Space and Place

Why Stay? Local Opportunity Anchoring and Gendered Immobility in Peri‐Urban China

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Authors

HYHongwei Yu HYHou Yu-feng

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Overview

Longitudinal interview study reveals how local job anchoring sustains residential immobility among rural women, highlighting the influence of childcare duties, social networks, and life course.

Key Points

To investigate how women in peri-urban split households sustain staying in place during local economic contraction through the framework of local opportunity anchoring.
Conducted two rounds of qualitative interviews spaced one year apart, supplemented by subsequent online follow-ups.
Tracked N=10 women residing in a peri-urban village in Yunnan, China, whose partners worked outside the locality as local tourism contracted.
Six women maintained residence via alternative local employment within commuting distance, three remained through unpaid domestic care, schooling, and remittances, and one migrated after childcare burdens eased and expenses rose.
Demonstrated that local opportunity anchoring relies on nearby employment made usable through social network information channels, viable caregiving arrangements, and earnings sufficient for household needs.

Cite This Study

Yu et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd7c658e84d0ff5b46c02 https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.70371

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September 8, 2026Population Space and Place

Why Stay? Local Opportunity Anchoring and Gendered Immobility in Peri‐Urban China

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

HYHongwei Yu HYHou Yu-feng

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Longitudinal interview study reveals how local job anchoring sustains residential immobility among rural women, highlighting the influence of childcare duties, social networks, and life course.

Key Points

To investigate how women in peri-urban split households sustain staying in place during local economic contraction through the framework of local opportunity anchoring.
Conducted two rounds of qualitative interviews spaced one year apart, supplemented by subsequent online follow-ups.
Tracked N=10 women residing in a peri-urban village in Yunnan, China, whose partners worked outside the locality as local tourism contracted.
Six women maintained residence via alternative local employment within commuting distance, three remained through unpaid domestic care, schooling, and remittances, and one migrated after childcare burdens eased and expenses rose.
Demonstrated that local opportunity anchoring relies on nearby employment made usable through social network information channels, viable caregiving arrangements, and earnings sufficient for household needs.

Cite This Study

Yu et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd7c658e84d0ff5b46c02 https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.70371

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark