Shanghai hukou, English and politics of mobility in China’s globalising economy

Abstract Amidst Shanghai’s transformation into a global metropolis and the resulting influx of internal migration, obtaining Shanghai hukou remains a challenging yet highly coveted socioeconomic aspiration. Simply earning high incomes, even for middle-class migrants, falls short of ensuring the desired level of geographical and social mobility. This article draws from a sociolinguistic ethnography conducted within a Shanghai-based multinational corporation, where migrant employees are compelled to strategise around English proficiency as a form of cultural capital to position themselves as valued neoliberal worker-citizens, driven by ambitions of career advancement and privileged hukou attainment. It argues that in China’s globalising economy, English not only enables multinational companies to stratify employees and select ideal internationalised human capital but also expedites migrant professionals’ acquisition of Shanghai hukou – a symbol of upward mobility in China. By delving into tensions and inequalities at work, this study demonstrates how English, the language of global capitalism, aligns the migrants’ interest in solidifying their middle-class status with Shanghai’s agenda of becoming an Asian-Pacific economic hub.