A Second Home: Exploring Physical and Social Place Attachment Among Internal Migrant Parents in a Community Hub within an Urban Village in China

Abstract Developing place attachment is crucial for migrant integration, yet the place experiences of migrant parents through their parental responsibility remain underexamined. This study investigates how migrant parents develop place attachment to their residential community by participating in activities at a community hub in an urban village in Guangzhou, China. We interviewed 25 internal migrant parents and engaged in participant observation. The community hub addresses essential concerns for migrant parents, such as playground safety, childcare, and child development, thereby fostering physical place attachment among migrant parents. Migrant mothers typically form social networks through intensive interactions and emotional support, viewing the hub as a vital source of strength. Thus, migrant mothers typically develop a social place attachment, which enhances their emotional connection to the community. By contrast, migrant fathers tend to concentrate on functional aspects, resulting in a physical place attachment. Consequently, the hub fosters a home-like and inclusive environment where these distinct pathways coexist. We highlight that place attachment is a gendered process of place experience, initiated by shared parental needs and shaped by gendered practices. The co-creation of this homelike space serves as a vital mechanism for urban integration, underscoring the need for community policies supporting both functional and affective dimensions of place.