Hukou Locality and Intermarriages in Two Chinese Cities: Shanghai and Shenzhen

China’s household registration system (hukou) has created an institutional boundary for the social integration of migrants, but few studies have explored if hukou barriers vary by city. We investigate the value of hukou locality in Shanghai and Shenzhen by comparing their patterns of intermarriage between locals and migrants. We hypothesize that levels of intermarriage reflect the rigidity of the hukou barrier—the likelihood of intermarriage is...