Social networks matter for villagers’ withdrawal from rural homesteads: An empirical analysis of sichuan in western China

Abstract

Withdrawal from rural homesteads (WRH) holds substantial significance for improving the habitat of villagers and revitalizing the countryside in China. However, the existing research tradition, which often neglect the endogenous features of rural society, largely constrains the full understanding of WRH. The specific mechanisms and pathways through which various networks embedded within rural societies shape the final decisions of villagers remain inadequately explored and lack conceptualization. To bridge this gap, this paper attempts to provide a brief glimpse of the fashions that different networks affect villagers' behavior in response to WRH. Drawing on 299 survey samples collected from four pilot areas for the rural homestead reform in Sichuan Province, we investigate both the direct impact of social networks and the mediating effect of social supports on villagers' WRH decisions. The results of the binary logit model indicate that villagers with more extensive social networks are more likely to withdraw from their homesteads (p < 0.01). Notably, family ties emerge as a dominant factor (OR = 42.156) in influencing villagers' WRH decisions. Furthermore, through a stepwise regression model, we uncover that social networks work exert their influence via the mediating role of social supports. By quantifying the link between villagers’ social networks and their WRH decisions, we conclude that taking into account the endogenous characteristics of the rural society can contribute to the all-round revitalization of the rural in China.