Dual Identities: How Chinese English-Language Media Portray Rural Migrant Workers

The media representation of rural migrant workers (RMWs) in China is a significant yet under-explored area of research. To address this gap, this study employs corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis to systematically examine how RMWs are portrayed in Chinese English-language media. The analysis identifies three key themes: employment, social integration, and children’s education. Within these thematic frameworks, the media use discursive strategies, including argumentation, intensification/mitigation, nomination, predication, and perspectivisation, to construct a dual identity for RMWs. They are simultaneously depicted as indispensable contributors to family welfare and national modernisation, and as vulnerable individuals who require sustained policy support. This dual portrayal highlights both the fragility and socioeconomic significance of RMWs, and reflects the intersecting influences of government agendas, cultural values, market logics, and editorial practices. The findings offer valuable insights into the socio-political dynamics underpinning media discourse in China and contribute to broader discussions on the representation of marginalised groups in rapidly urbanising societies.