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Scavenging for Door Plates: The Forgotten Stories of Urban Villagers
How one married couple made a museum out of scavenged belongings, honoring the stories of China’s migrant workers
Writing on the Wall: A Brief History of China’s Guerrilla Ads
Since their first appearance in the 1990s, China’s ubiquitous “little ads“ have evolved alongside the cities they serve
Stripped Down: The Story Behind China’s Favorite Snack
How simple, greasy, cheap “latiao” (literally ”spicy strips“) became the people’s snack
Glimpse Inside China’s Vanishing Garment Hub
As the garment industry of Guangzhou’s Kanglu area winds down to its last days, TWOC captures life in for the 100,000 workers and factory bosses in its urban villages
After Hours: The Unseen Lives of China’s Public Sleepers
From migrant workers seeking refuge to budget-conscious tourists, public sleeping in China reveals a tapestry of urban social dynamics
SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE
Why China’s Gen Z Migrant Workers Are Leaving the Assembly Line
More educated, autonomous, and aware of their rights than the previous generation, China’s newest migrant workers are ditching factory work for the digital economy
SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE
The Aging Migrant Workers Who Can’t Afford to Retire
With a growing urban-rural gap and lack of social security, China’s first-generation migrant workers are heading back to the workplace
When Art Meets the Authenticity of Labor
How performance artist Li Liao, famous for his 45-day stint on Foxconn’s assembly lines in 2012, became a delivery driver to pay the bills
Behind the Scenes at China’s Christmas Factories
It’s always holiday season in Yiwu, a “fourth-tier” Chinese city where migrant workers churn out two-thirds of the world’s Christmas decorations
The Workers in Limbo During Guangzhou’s Covid Outbreak
Workers in Guangzhou’s urban villages face days living on the streets as their residences restrict entry
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