We are pleased to share a call for manuscript submissions for the upcoming Special Issue of Chinese Sociological Review titled:

“Rural–Urban Inequality in Post‑Reform China: Persistent Divides and Key Stratifying Forces”

This Special Issue examines the enduring and evolving forms of rural–urban inequality in China following decades of economic reform. Despite substantial policy interventions—such as the abolition of agricultural taxes, expansion of rural healthcare programmes, targeted poverty alleviation, and rural revitalization initiatives—significant disparities remain in income, life opportunities, mobility, and exposure to social and environmental risks.  

The issue seeks to explore the structural mechanisms and “paradoxical stratification forces” that have contributed to persistent divides between rural and urban populations—sometimes unintentionally exacerbated by reforms originally designed to reduce inequality.

Guest Editors

• Dr. Ling Zhu, Department of Sociology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Prof. Jing Song, Gender Studies Programme, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Prof. John Logan, Department of Sociology, Brown University

Important Dates

• Abstract deadline: 20 March 2026
• Full manuscript deadline: 31 August 2026

Submission Information

Authors are invited to submit high‑quality, original research examining:

• Persistent and emerging forms of rural–urban inequality
• Impacts of hukou, migration, regional disparities, and policy reforms
• Social mobility, life chances, and stratification dynamics
• Environmental and health vulnerabilities
• Structural mechanisms that reinforce inequality, including those unexpectedly produced by well‑intended reforms  

Details about the Special Issue, including submission instructions, can be found on the publisher’s website:
👉 Rural–Urban Inequality in Post‑Reform China — Taylor & Francis Special Issue Page

Authors should submit their manuscripts via the Chinese Sociological Review online submission portal following the journal’s author guidelines.