Semi-urbanization identity formation through role creation theory: The dynamic villagers’ perspectives

China witnessed a great rural urbanization in the last decades. With the large scale implementation of rural settlement consolidation projects in the rural areas, the identity of rural residents transformed to semi-urbanization. The previous literature mainly interpreted the rural settlement consolidation from a static point of view and revealed the policy performance from either the local stakeholders’ perspectives or macro-economic and landscape views. However, the paper sought to decode rural role transformation process with a dynamic perspective, and drew social attention towards “from disparity to convergence, from discontent to content” phenomenon by leveraging role creation theoretical framework. Through case study and survey, the interpretation of rural behaviors shed lights on understanding the semi-urbanization identity adaptive process. The three-stage development policy implications therefore are drawn in role creation context. An authority hand-over mechanism with respect to stepwise development characteristics and dynamics secure the implementation of rural settlement consolidation project and rural sustainable thriving. •It decodes rural role transformation process with a dynamic perspective.•It draws attention to “from disparity to convergence, from discontent to content” phenomenon in land consolidation program.•It calls for a stepwise land development mode with authority hand-over mechanism from government, community to residents.