Migrant Worker Representations in the Cinema of Jia Zhangke: An Evolution from the Framework of Neoliberal Subject Phenomenon

Bilge İpek; Ali Murat Kırık

Article Details

Migrant Worker Representations in the Cinema of Jia Zhangke: An Evolution from the Framework of Neoliberal Subject Phenomenon

Authors:

Bilge İpek | Ali Murat Kırık

Publisher:

İstanbul Gelisim University

Main Topics:

Radyo-Televizyon

Journal:

ART/icle: Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 3, pp.325-349

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001338552

pISSN:

2718-1057

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Purpose: This study aims to read the changing working class representations in China which evolved from the communist regime into capitalist neoliberalism by the 1980s through the cinema of Jia Zhangke. Literature ReviewBackground: After discussing the literature on the neoliberal subject in a general framework, how the subject of working-class changes specific to China constitutes the theoretical framework of the study. Method: This study examining the cinema of Jia Zhangke from a sociological perspective employs the descriptive analysis method with the general framework of sociological film analysis. In addition, with the thematic analysis method, the themes obtained from the theoretical framework are found in the films and examined using the descriptive analysis method. Findings: The entrepreneurial, fatalistic, slave and indebted subject themes belonging to the neoliberal subject body of literature are also seen similarly in the characters in Jia Zhangkes films. Furthermore, the migrant workers in the films become concrete indicators of neoliberal subjectivity created by the impact of the transformation of the city on the working class, which emerged in parallel with the neoliberal period specific to China. Conclusion: The experiences of the migrant worker characters in the cinema of Jia Zhangke, who is called the urban generation filmmaker, are similar to the literature on migrant workers that emerged as an effect of the political-economic transformation of Chinese cities after 1990. Rural household registrations of rural-migrant workers also lead to their exclusion in cities. This situation causes rural immigrants to remain in poor conditions both in the social environment and in their business lives. This situation is similarly represented in Jia Zhangkes cinema. In addition, the reflections on daily life transformed due to the capitalistization processes that started with Chinas post-1979 reform movements are parallel to the effects of neoliberalism on the city and its subjects. In this context, the subjects of Jia Zhangkes cinema also meet the entrepreneurial, fatalistic, indebted subject characteristics that encounter neoliberal subjectivity.

 Purpose: This study aims to read the changing working class representations in China which evolved from the communist regime into capitalist neoliberalism by the 1980s through the cinema of Jia Zhangke. Literature ReviewBackground: After discussing the literature on the neoliberal subject in a general framework, how the subject of working-class changes specific to China constitutes the theoretical framework of the study. Method: This study examining the cinema of Jia Zhangke from a sociological perspective employs the descriptive analysis method with the general framework of sociological film analysis. In addition, with the thematic analysis method, the themes obtained from the theoretical framework are found in the films and examined using the descriptive analysis method. Findings: The entrepreneurial, fatalistic, slave and indebted subject themes belonging to the neoliberal subject body of literature are also seen similarly in the characters in Jia Zhangkes films. Furthermore, the migrant workers in the films become concrete indicators of neoliberal subjectivity created by the impact of the transformation of the city on the working class, which emerged in parallel with the neoliberal period specific to China. Conclusion: The experiences of the migrant worker characters in the cinema of Jia Zhangke, who is called the urban generation filmmaker, are similar to the literature on migrant workers that emerged as an effect of the political-economic transformation of Chinese cities after 1990. Rural household registrations of rural-migrant workers also lead to their exclusion in cities. This situation causes rural immigrants to remain in poor conditions both in the social environment and in their business lives. This situation is similarly represented in Jia Zhangkes cinema. In addition, the reflections on daily life transformed due to the capitalistization processes that started with Chinas post-1979 reform movements are parallel to the effects of neoliberalism on the city and its subjects. In this context, the subjects of Jia Zhangkes cinema also meet the entrepreneurial, fatalistic, indebted subject characteristics that encounter neoliberal subjectivity.

 Purpose: This study aims to read the changing working class representations in China which evolved from the communist regime into capitalist neoliberalism by the 1980s through the cinema of Jia Zhangke. Literature ReviewBackground: After discussing the literature on the neoliberal subject in a general framework, how the subject of working-class changes specific to China constitutes the theoretical framework of the study. Method: This study examining the cinema of Jia Zhangke from a sociological perspective employs the descriptive analysis method with the general framework of sociological film analysis. In addition, with the thematic analysis method, the themes obtained from the theoretical framework are found in the films and examined using the descriptive analysis method. Findings: The entrepreneurial, fatalistic, slave and indebted subject themes belonging to the neoliberal subject body of literature are also seen similarly in the characters in Jia Zhangkes films. Furthermore, the migrant workers in the films become concrete indicators of neoliberal subjectivity created by the impact of the transformation of the city on the working class, which emerged in parallel with the neoliberal period specific to China. Conclusion: The experiences of the migrant worker characters in the cinema of Jia Zhangke, who is called the urban generation filmmaker, are similar to the literature on migrant workers that emerged as an effect of the political-economic transformation of Chinese cities after 1990. Rural household registrations of rural-migrant workers also lead to their exclusion in cities. This situation causes rural immigrants to remain in poor conditions both in the social environment and in their business lives. This situation is similarly represented in Jia Zhangkes cinema. In addition, the reflections on daily life transformed due to the capitalistization processes that started with Chinas post-1979 reform movements are parallel to the effects of neoliberalism on the city and its subjects. In this context, the subjects of Jia Zhangkes cinema also meet the entrepreneurial, fatalistic, indebted subject characteristics that encounter neoliberal subjectivity.

 Amaç: Bu çalışma, 1980lerle beraber komünist rejimden kapitalizme doğru evrilen Çinde, dönüşen işçi sınıfı temsillerini Jia Zhangke sineması üzerinden okumayı amaçlamaktadır. KuramsalKavramsal Çerçeve: Genel çerçevede neoliberal özneye ait alan yazını ele alındıktan sonra, öznenin bir işçi sınıfı olarak Çin özelinde nasıl dönüştüğü çalışmanın kuramsal çerçevesini oluşturmaktadır. Yöntem: Jia Zhangke sinemasını sosyolojik bir bakışla inceleyen bu çalışma, sosyolojik film çözümlemesi genel çerçevesi ile betimsel analiz yöntemini kullanmaktadır. Tematik analiz yöntemiyle, kuramsal çerçevede ortaya çıkan temalar filmler üzerinden betimsel analiz yöntemiyle incelenmektedir. Bulgular: Neoliberal özne alan yazınına ait girişimci, kaderci, köle, borçlandırılmış özne temaları Jia Zhangkenin filmlerindeki karakterler üzerinde de görülmektedir. Ayrıca filmlerde yer alan göçmen işçiler, neoliberal dönemle paralel olarak ortaya çıkan kentin dönüşümünün işçi sınıfı üzerindeki etkisinin karşılığı olan neoliberal öznelliğin somut göstergeleri olmaktadır. Sonuç: Kent kuşağı sinemacısı olarak adlandırılan Jia Zhangke sinemasında yer alan göçmen işçi karakterlerin yaşadıkları, Çin kentlerinin 1990 sonrası politik-ekonomik dönüşümünün bir etkisi olarak ortaya çıkan göçmen işçilere ait literatür çıktıları ile benzerlik taşır. Kırsal-göçmen işçilerin sahip oldukları kırsal hane halkı kayıtları onların kentlerde dışlanmasını da beraberinde getirir. Bu durum kırsal-göçmenlerin hem sosyal ortamda hem de iş hayatlarında kötü koşullarda kalmalarına sebep olur. Bu durum, Jia Zhangke sinemasında da benzer şekilde temsil edilir. Bununla beraber Çinin 1979 sonrası reform hareketleri ile başlayan kapitalistleşme süreçlerine bağlı olarak dönüşen gündelik hayata dair yansımalar da neoliberalizmin kent ve özneler üzerindeki etkiler ile paralellik taşır. Bu bağlamda, Jia Zhangke sinemasının özneleri neoliberal öznelliği karşılaşayan girişimci, kaderci, borçlandırılmış özne özelliklerini de karşılamaktadır.

Article Details

Migrant Worker Representations in the Cinema of Jia Zhangke: An Evolution from the Framework of Neoliberal Subject Phenomenon

Authors:

Bilge İpek | Ali Murat Kırık

Publisher:

İstanbul Gelisim University

Main Topics:

Radyo-Televizyon

Journal:

ART/icle: Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 3, pp.325-349

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001338552

pISSN:

2718-1057

Jia Zhangke

Chinese Cinema

Urban Generation

Neoliberal Subject

Migrant WorkerJia Zhangke

Çin Sineması

Kent Kuşağı

Neoliberal Özne

Göçmen İşçi

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Bilge İpek | Ali Murat Kırık

Publisher: İstanbul Gelisim University

Main Topics: Radyo-Televizyon

Journal: ART/icle: Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 3, pp.325-349

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 10/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001338552

pISSN: 2718-1057

Issues

Authors:

Bilge İpek | Ali Murat Kırık

Publisher:

İstanbul Gelisim University

Main Topics:

Radyo-Televizyon

Journal:

ART/icle: Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi Vol.4 Issue 3, pp.325-349

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001338552

pISSN:

2718-1057