ICT USE AND IDENTITY FORMATION AMONG BEIJING'S RURAL-TO-URBAN GRADUATE WORKERS

Abstract

The migrant graduate workers in China who are from the lower socioeconomic background, without influential social networks, armed with only a degree certificate and their ICT literacy, dreamed of becoming members of the urban middle class. Various contradictions were encoded in their identity because of the social context of today¿s China. This research, based on 40 semi-structured interviews in Beijing, suggests that during the process of their identity construction in the youth adulthood, the ICTs are creatively employed in the representation, creation and exploration of their real identity, alternative identity, ideal identity and committed identity. Moreover, their ICT use is an integral part of the process of the identity construction, with notable relationship with their life goal and relationship maintenance. Among their various identities, their class-based identity dynamically interacts with their ICT use, including the purchase of the gadgets, the choice of brands and their position in the practice-oriented committees.