For rural women migrating to China’s urban areas to find work, their first cell phone purchase is a memorable event, says doctoral candidate Cara Wallis. Some young adults save for up to eight months for a relatively basic phone, but their lives change completely once they have it.

“It’s a huge part of being ‘modern,’” Wallis says. “Because of China’s particular residence policies, they’ll never be full urban citizens, but it’s part of their rite of passage and becomes an amazing tool to maintain social networks. It could cost them a full month’s salary, but to them it’s worth it.”

Wallis’ research into cell phone use and mobile networking is unique because most similar studies have focused on developed countries such as Norway, Finland and Japan. But she wanted to train her attention on something that hasn’t been done – the use of mobile phones by more socially and economically marginalized youth. “My long-term ties with China and the interesting cell phone research I could do there led me down this path,” she says.

Some of Wallis’ most interesting research looks at the role cell phones play in dating and relationships among rural-to-urban migrants, especially in light of their circumscribed social space.

“For a lot of the migrants who work all day and all week, it’s the main way to interact socially,” she says. “In the case of intimate relationships, dating could take place via the phone and text messaging before the couple even meet.”