Are you seeking a definitive guide to the dynamic and evolving field of migrant worker studies? Look no further than this groundbreaking article, “Research on Migrant Workers in the Last 24 Years: Progress, Framework, and Trends,” which offers an unparalleled synthesis of academic literature.
The current landscape of research on “migrant workers” often suffers from fragmentation, making it challenging to grasp the full scope of definitions, research status, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. This paper addresses this critical gap by providing an integrated analytical approach and establishing a systematic knowledge framework to convey key information intuitively and concisely. The study considers “migrant workers” to include both domestic and international migrants who move for employment, characterized by being away from their hometowns, involvement in non-intellectual labor, and often having low social status.
Key Highlights of this Essential Research:
- Innovative Methodology: Employing CiteSpace as a visual analytics tool, this study integrates academic literature from the three Core Collections of the Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI, and AHCI) published between 2000 and 2023. It meticulously follows PRISMA guidelines to ensure standardization and rigor.
- Accelerated Research Interest: The study reveals a roughly increasing trend in annual publications on migrant workers over the last two decades, with an accelerating growth rate, indicating continuously growing interest in this vital topic.
- Multidisciplinary Focus: Research on migrant workers is strongly associated with the social sciences and medical fields, with “Public Environmental Occupational Health,” “Sociology,” and “Demography” being the most prominent categories.
- Active Collaboration Networks: The paper identifies frequent institutional and regional collaborations, particularly highlighting the significant activity and influence of institutions in China. Developed regions like the USA, England, and Australia also hold considerable authority in collaborations. Key active authors include Hall BJ, and authoritative authors include Anderson B and Wong DFK.
- Crucial Research Themes:
- Health and Well-being: A consistent focus on physical health (e.g., infectious diseases like AIDS, malaria, COVID-19, hookworm, diphtheria, measles) and mental health (e.g., depression, acculturative stress) of migrant workers. Occupational health and safety remain a long-standing concern.
- Social and Economic Issues: Extensive examination of job market inequality, rights violations, and social integration. The impact of the digital economy and artificial intelligence on migrant workers’ career choices, quality of life, and working conditions is an emerging area.
- Organizational and Policy Support: The crucial roles of trade unions, international conventions (like the UN Migrant Workers Convention), and government policies in protecting migrant workers’ rights and enhancing their welfare are emphasized.
- Future Research Directions: The study forecasts future hotspots, recommending a continued focus on migrant workers’ job performance, public health concerns, organizational roles, and relevant policies, including the application of new technologies. Emerging areas include female migrant workers, comparative analyses across regions and occupations, and the dynamics of short-term vs. long-term migration.
This paper is an invaluable resource for bibliometrics, sociology, and public policy making, offering clear guidance for scholars in identifying research hotspots and providing policymakers with targeted insights to improve the lives and work of migrant workers globally.
Reference for the Article:
Yan, Y., Li, J. Y., Liu, C. G., Jiang, X. Y., Geng, Y. Q., & Gao, J. (2025). Research on Migrant Workers in the Last 24 Years: Progress, Framework, and Trends. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 23(4), 6391–6433.
