社会转型中的象征二元结构--以农民工群体为中心的微观权力分析

The Symbolic and Dualistic Structure in Social Transition:An Analysis of the Micro-Power Structure in the Peasant Migrant Group

关于中国社会结构转型需要从微观和象征的角度予以理解。从"象征社会"的分析视角看,城市社会中的一系列媒介信息与象征标记往往成为社会身份的分类工具与生产机制。随着城乡社会流动的增加,农民工群体所承载的诸多象征标记使城乡界线由"城乡之间"移入"城市之中",进而凸显出"城市中的城乡二元结构"。这种社会结构常常是文化性的、隐秘的,可用"象征二元结构"概括之。"象征二元结构"意为表达不同群体社会身份的象征系统及其运作呈现出二元对立或两极趋势,它彰显了不同群体在身份、地位、声望等方面的二分化与不平等。"象征二元结构"所包含的"问题化农村"与"梦想化城市"的逻辑成为国家建构现代性形象的手段与策略,以弥合"客观现代性"与"表达现代性"的距离。

We need to take a microscopic and symbolic angle in order to understand the transition in the social structure in China.With an increase in the mobility between country and city,the many symbolic marks carried by the peasant migrant group have pushed the country-city demarcation into the city boundary,thus forming a direct,noticeable country-city dualistic structure.This kind of social structure is not only physical and overt but also cultural and covert,which can be summarized with the concept of 'symbolic and dualistic structure'.This concept can be considered as a social symbolic system to signify the identities of different groups and the dualistic or polarized tendency in its operation.It manifests the duality and inequality in the identity,status,reputation,etc.between different groups.During the course of social change before and after the Reform,the political function of distinguishing classes as expressed in this symbolic dualistic structure has gradually entered everyday life and has thus become a micro-power mechanism for shaping different social groups' identity,status,and reputation.The logic of the 'problem country' and the 'dream city' embedded in this mechanism has function a means and strategy for the nation to construct an image of modernity so as to close the gap between 'objective modernity' and 'expressive modernity'.