The Suffering and Resistance of the Chinese Urban Youths Forced to the Countryside

Using a social movement perspective with statistical models, this monograph demonstrates the differences between the Back to the City Movement launched by the Chinese youths and the Down to the Countryside Campaign controlled by the Party.

Grounded in the data collected, the monograph explores the emotional impact upon the youths, work, income, mentality, marriage/love, and relationship with local peasants, timelines and methods involved in returning to the city, their final occupations, children's fulfillment, current perceptions of urban life, evaluation of the campaign and their experiences in the countryside. The authors also summarize the lessons learned from the Back to the City Movement, providing references for Chinese future social movements.