Temporary migrants and public space: a case study of Dongguan, China

The development of the labour-intensive manufacturing sector in Dongguan, China, stimulated significant inflows of temporary migrants. However, their temporary status limits migrants’ mobility and restrains their access to public resources available in the city. The community square in proximity to factories provides space for temporary migrant workers and their families to congregate, socialise and exercise during after-work hours. Grounded in theoretical discussions of the precarity of temporary migration and the intersection of migrants and urban space, this study uses participant observations and semi-structured interviews to examine the following questions: (1) What are the spatial and temporal patterns of temporary migrants’ use of the community square? (2) How do temporary migrants’ use of the community square indicate social inclusion or exclusion from the destination society? (3) How do temporary migrants experience precarity in spatial and temporal dimensions? The research findings suggest that the temporary status of migrants and fast-paced work schedules of manufacturing factories limit migrants’ options for after-work leisure activities both spatially and temporally. The research has broad implications for the integration of temporary migrants in Chinese cities and the development of public space to enhance social belonging among underserved migrant populations.