Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2026, 9(1); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090107.
Xiaobo Huang
College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
This paper uses Zygmunt Bauman's theory of liquid modernity and "wasted lives" to examine social stratification, mobility, and inequality in China. While economic growth has surged, social segmentation and exclusion have intensified. Focusing on urban–rural inequality, migrant labor, and industrial restructuring, the study reveals how economic flexibility and institutional fragility coexist. It argues that China's development is marked by a "robust‑yet‑fragile" condition: resilient economically but socially vulnerable. The paper critiques market-oriented governance and fragmented social protections, suggesting that sustainable modernization requires both technological progress and inclusive policies to address social exclusion.
Liquid Modernity; Social Stratification; Inequality; Migrant Labor; Boundary Blurring
Xiaobo Huang. Zygmunt BaumLiquid Modernity and Social Stratification: Industrial Transformation, Social Mobility and Inequality in Contemporary China. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 1: 44-49. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090107.
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