Records and farmer workers – a unique Chinese case

Abstract

Records function in society with multiple utilities, and this article reports on their role in establishing organizational identity for individuals. As a unique group within society, farmer workers face a number of difficulties, and one of them is about identity: what identity do they possess, what identity should or could they possess and what identity is or will be of assistance to their current lives? Utilizing the identity status typology, this paper assesses the current identity situation of farmer workers and then reports on the efforts of the Chinese records profession in assisting the formation of a positive farmer worker identity.

Keywords:

• Identity
• organizational identity
• archival institution

Notes

1. ISO, Information and Documentation – Records Management – Part 1; InterPARES’s definition, http://www.interpares.org/ip2/ip2_terminology_db.cfm .

2. InterPARES 2’s Terminology Database, http://www.interpares.org/ip2/ip2_terminology_db.cfm; InterPARES also defined the records, https://interparestrust.org.

3. Xie, ‘Records Management in the United Kingdom,’ 88; Xie et al., ‘Understanding Record(s),’ 27; Xie and Wang, ‘Core Concepts in the US and Chinese Archival Laws,’ 124.

4. Feng, ‘Identity and Archives,’ 97.

5. Zhu, ‘Workers, Unions and the State,’ 1011; Fu et al., ‘Rural Migrant Workers in Urban China: Living a Marginalised Life,’ 32; Li and Zhang, ‘Housing Provision for Rural–Urban Migrant Workers in Chinese Cities,’ 694.

6. Han and Huang, ‘Domestic Migrant Workers in China’s Hotel Industry,’ 1283; Qiu et al., ‘Depression and Associated Factors in Internal Migrant Workers in China,’ 198; Xu et al., ‘Welfare Program Participation among Rural-To-Urban Migrant Workers in China,’ 10.

7. Chen, ‘Farmer Workers: Policy Arrangement and Identity Recognition,’ 119.

8. The Status Report on Farmer Workers in 2013 from National Bureau of Statistics of China, http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/zxfb/201405/t20140512_551585.html.

9. Cheng and Selden, ‘The Origins and Social Consequences of China’s Hukou System,’ 644; Wang’s The Hukou (Household Registration) System, http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199920082/obo-9780199920082-0084.xml; Wu, ‘Decentralization and Hukou Reforms in China,’ 33.

10. The information can be found at the National Bureau of Statistics of China’s website, http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/zxfb/201405/t20140512_551585.html

11. Chen et al., ‘University Students’ Implicit Identity,’ 372.

12. Schwartz, ‘The Evolution of Eriksonian and Neo-Eriksonian Identity Theory and Research,’ 7.

13. Marcia, ‘The Ego Identity Status Approach to Ego Identity,’ 1; McLean and Syed, ‘The Field of Identity Development Needs an Identity,’ 1.

14. Grotevant, ‘Toward a Process Model of Identity Formation,’ 28; Marcia, ‘Common Processes Underlying Ego Identity, Cognitive/Moral Development, and Individuation, 211; Schwartz, ‘The Evolution of Eriksonian and Neo-Eriksonian Identity Theory and Research: a Review and Integration,’ 7

15. Ibid.

16. Marcia, ‘Identity in Adolescence,’ 159.

17. Boyes and Chandler, ‘Cognitive Development, Epistemic Doubt, and Identity Formation in Adolescence,’ 277; Marcia, ‘The Ego Identity Status Approach to Ego Identity,’ 1.

18. McLean and Syed, ‘The Field of Identity Development Needs an Identity,’ 1.

19. Jenkins, Social Identity, 4th ed.

20. Xu, ‘An Analysis on Identity Recognition and Impacting Factors Regarding the New Generation Farmer Workers,’ 58; Zhen and Zhong, ‘An Investigation and Analysis on the Current Status of Identity Recognition of the New Generation Farmer Workers,’ 65; Yue et al., ‘Research on Identity Recognition of the New Generation Farmer Workers,’ 95; Zhang et al., ‘Research on Identity Recognition Concerning the New Generation Farmer,’ 1; Yang, ‘An Analysis on the Transition Status and Characteristics of Identity Recognition of the New Generation Farmer Worker,’ 75; Wang, ‘An Analysis on Identity Self-Identification of the New Generation Farmer Workers and the Associated Impacting Factors,’ 38; Liu and Liu, ‘A Survey Report on the Dilemmas of Identity Recognition of the New Generation Farmer Workers,’ 45; A report of Chinese farmer workers issued by Research Office of the State Council of China, http://theory.people.com.cn/GB/40538/4257429.html; Wuhan University’s report on farmer workers, http://wenku.baidu.com/view/8fb12cea19e8b8f67c1cb93c.html; A report on farmer workers from the National Labor Union of China, http://www.youngmigrants.org/ew/uploadfile/20100718143155316.pdf; A report on farmer workers from Sanxi Province, http://www.sei.gov.cn/ShowArticle2008.asp?ArticleID=229540; A research from Qinghua University, http://www.sinoss.net/2012/091-/42359.html.

21. The regulations for personal records from the Chinese Government, http://www.rc114.com/html/2009/0518/3354.htm; Zhu and Zhou, Theories and Methods of Personnel Files Management.

22. China’s constitution, http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2004-03/15/content_1367387.htm.

23. Cheng, ‘An Exploratory Study of the Records of the New Type of Migrating Population in China – Farmer Workers’.

24. Liao, ‘An Exploration on Creating Comprehensive Records for Farmer Workers,’ 42; Zhang, ‘Some Thoughts on the Creation of Records for Farmer Workers,’ 85.

25. Li, ‘The Significance of Records of Farmer Workers with Their Interest Protections,’ 73.

26. Liao, ‘An Exploration on Creating Comprehensive Records for Farmer Workers,’ 42.

27. Li’s report on records creation for farmer workers, http://news.sohu.com/20071205/n253802875.shtml.

28. Zhang, ‘An Analysis on the Possibility of Creating Records for Farmer Workers,’ 503.

29. A pilot project conducted by Archives Administration of Harerbing, http://www.hrb-dangan.gov.cn/zhxw/qxdt/2013/06/11327.html.

30. Liao, ‘An Exploration on Creating Comprehensive Records for Farmer Workers,’ 42; Zhang, ‘Some Thoughts on the Creation of Records for Farmer Workers,’ 85.

31. Li and Liu, ‘Records and the Protection of Rights of the Farmer Workers,’ 11.

32. Long, ‘Improving the Management of Social Security Records of Farmer Workers,’ 92.

33. Cheng, ‘The Proper Management of Farmer Worker Records,’ 35; Zhang, ‘Some Thoughts on the Creation of Records for Farmer Workers,’ 85.

34. Wei, ‘Research on the Issues of Identity Recognition of the New-Generation Farmer Workers,’ 106; Liu and Zheng, ‘Research on Identity Recognition of the New-Generation Farmer Workers and the Impacting Factors,’ 45.

35. Opinions from the State Council of China, http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2014-09/30/content_9105.htm.

36. Jenkins, Social Identity, 3rd ed.