HOMELAND HUNTING: THE SOCIAL PROCESS OF RETURNING TO FARMING AND THE SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION

Zhang Sen

Todos os Trabalhos

Trabalho

DOI

10.29327/9786527226680.1441876

Título do Trabalho

HOMELAND HUNTING: THE SOCIAL PROCESS OF RETURNING TO FARMING AND THE SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION

Autores

Zhang Sen

Modalidade

IRSA - Congresso Mundial de Sociologia Rural (01/10/2025 a 20/01/2026)

Área temática

IRSA 34 - Diverse Transitions of Farming and Peasantries

Data de Publicação

06/08/2026

País da Publicação

Brasil

Idioma da Publicação

pt-BR

Página do Trabalho

https://www.even3.com.br/anais/sober-irsa2026/1441876-homeland-hunting--the-social-process-of-returning-to-farming-and-the-social-dynamics-of-agrarian-transformation

ISBN

978-65-272-2668-0

Palavras-Chave

migration; return farmers; returning home for entrepreneurship; agricultural transformation; social dynamics

Resumo

Returning home for entrepreneurship has become a significant phenomenon within China's Rural Revitalization, positioning returnees as crucial agents for rural development. This study introduces the concept of "return farmers"—individuals who migrate back from urban to rural areas specifically to engage in agricultural production. Employing a qualitative field research approach, including participant observation on farms and in-depth interviews with return farmers, local officials, and villagers, this research investigates their industrial practices, community interactions, and lived experiences. The study identifies three distinct typologies among return farmers: family-based, enterprise-based, and commercial-based. The study further explores how these actors mobilize resources, configure their farms, and commercialize products. They channel urban-accumulated capital into agriculture, navigate complex land and labor markets, and leverage—though sometimes contend with the weakening of—community networks. In their operations, they blend traditional and modern technologies, integrate production with lifestyle, and develop both physical and internet-based markets. A central finding highlights the identity crisis that many returnees confront, which often stems from a combination of business pressures, family strain, and community friction. Successful reintegration and stable identity formation are shown to depend on achieving economic sustainability, gaining socio-political recognition, and engaging in daily community life, enabling them to bridge urban-rural divides. Ultimately, this paper argues that return farmers represent a distinct social force in contemporary agrarian transformation. Their practices facilitate the flow of capital, technology, and new production relations into the countryside, fostering diverse organizational forms. Notably, while their operations often follow a capitalist logic, their embedded social identity can mitigate exploitative tendencies, leading to what we term "gentle transformation" through non-destructive development, protective employment, and shared-interest linkages. Research points out that the inherent fluidity of migration means their long-term settlement is not guaranteed; therefore, sustaining a positive urban-rural circulation calls for deeper and more supportive institutional and social reforms.

Título do Evento: 16th World Congress of Rural Sociology and 64th Congress of the Brazilian Society of Rural Economics, Management and Sociology
Cidade do Evento: Porto Alegre
Título dos Anais do Evento: Anais do 64º Congresso da SOBER e XVI Congresso Mundial de Sociologia Rural (IRSA)
Nome da Editora: Even3
Meio de Divulgação: Meio Digital
DOI

Como citar

SEN, Zhang. HOMELAND HUNTING: THE SOCIAL PROCESS OF RETURNING TO FARMING AND THE SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION.. In: Anais do 64º Congresso da SOBER e XVI Congresso Mundial de Sociologia Rural (IRSA). Anais...Porto Alegre(RS) UFRGS, 2026. Disponível em: https//www.even3.com.br/anais/sober-irsa2026/1441876-HOMELAND-HUNTING--THE-SOCIAL-PROCESS-OF-RETURNING-TO-FARMING-AND-THE-SOCIAL-DYNAMICS-OF-AGRARIAN-TRANSFORMATION. Acesso em: 22/09/2026