The Network Characteristics and Driving Forces of Return Migration Intentions of China's Floating Population

The Network Characteristics and Driving Forces of Return Migration Intentions of China's Floating Population | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Network Characteristics and Driving Forces of Return Migration Intentions of China's Floating Population zhifei ma, Junbo Gao, Yanan Liu, Yi Liu, Caier Ni, Yujun Liu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7896016/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Against the backdrop of China's shifting population mobility patterns amid regional coordinated development and rural revitalization, this study investigates the network characteristics and driving forces of return migration intentions among the floating population. Using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey and municipal statistical yearbooks, we construct a directed weighted inter-city network of return migration intentions and employ Social Network Analysis (SNA) and the Eigenvector Spatial Filtering Gravity Model for empirical analysis. The results reveal three key features of high-value return intention flows: cross-regional flows from eastern mega-cities to central-western/northeastern regions, short-distance flows from central core cities to surrounding small- and medium-sized cities, and flows from western industrial/mining cities to the central region. The return intention network is divided into five communities with distinct structures, reflecting the constraints of geographical proximity and urban hierarchy. Driving force analysis shows that macro-regionally, migration distance exerts a significant negative impact (geographical friction effect), while the origin region’s economic development has a positive pull effect. Micro-individually, males (as primary economic providers) exhibit lower return intentions, and education has a marginal positive influence. Behaviorally, business engagement reduces return intentions due to location-specific resource accumulation. This study enriches migration theory from a network perspective and provides empirical support for formulating targeted policies for regional coordinated development and rural revitalization. Floating Population Return Migration Intention Social Network Analysis Eigenvector Spatial Filtering Gravity Model Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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