Marginal Citizens Exercising Their Individual Autonomy for Self-Identification: The Case of Migrant Students at a Vocational High School in Beijing

Abstract Over the years, a great deal of improvement has been achieved with regard to the educational arrangements for migrant students. In Beijing, for instance, more public schools are opened to migrant children, and more resources allocated to uplift the quality of their schools. However, uncovered by the 9-year compulsory education system, higher education is not deemed an obligation of the local governments. Over time, yesterday’s children have turned into today’s young adults. But still, little is known about their experiences between the compulsory education system and the labor market. Their life patterns and educational endeavors remain a mystery. This study, based on 6 months of fieldwork at a vocational high school in 2012, is a memoir of twelve migrant girls seeking a better future in the Beijing city. By employing a qualitative and ethnographic approach and through the lens of marginal citizenship, it contributes to the empirical investigation into both their everyday life and their prospects for becoming urban.