Equality between men and women is a basic state policy in China. Photo: TUCHONG

Gender studies, as an interdisciplinary knowledge system, aims to comprehensively understand the influence of gender on individuals, society, and culture, thus promoting gender equality and overall societal development. In China, gender studies emerged in the 1980s, initially focusing on women and also known as women’s studies. Over the past four decades, many Chinese universities and research institutions have established centers for gender studies, with research efforts exhibiting five characteristics.

First, gender studies in China is adapted to the country’s unique conditions. Numerous studies have elucidated the contemporary value of Marxist feminism, constructing an academic discourse system with Chinese characteristics for socialist feminism.

Second, these studies are systematic. An increasing number of gender studies programs are approved by the National Social Science Fund of China. Large-scale surveys such as the Survey on Social Status of Women in China, jointly conducted by the All-China Women’s Federation and the National Bureau of Statistics, have become authoritative databases recognized by social science researchers.

Third, the discipline is institutionalized. Women’s studies has been incorporated into China’s “Undergraduate Program Catalogue for Regular Higher Education Institutions,” and progress has been made towards the development of master’s and doctoral programs. In 2023, the Institute of Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences established its Research Department of Family and Gender, marking a significant milestone in the institutionalization of gender studies.

Fourth, research subjects have expanded from women’s studies to broader gender studies, with an increasing richness of research topics.

Fifth, gender studies contributes to societal development. Research findings, particularly from studies on domestic violence and women’s rights within marriage and family, have provided a direct impetus for the enactment of China’s Anti-domestic Violence Law as well as several amendments to the Chinese Marriage Law and the Law of the PRC on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women.

Missions in the new era

To build a disciplinary system of gender studies with Chinese characteristics, the field must undertake two important missions.

First, it is essential to keep pace with the times and respond to the need for development. Protecting the legitimate rights and interests of women and children and promoting gender equality and the holistic development of women and children are important aspects of Chinese modernization. Gender studies needs to focus on the practical issues arising on the Chinese path to modernization, such as gender equality, fertility rates, gender and health, the digital divide, and sustainable development, proposing solutions through scientific research and leading theoretical innovation.

Second, gender studies should guide the social climate and promote advanced gender culture. Gender scholars should closely integrate academic pursuits with the implementation of the basic state policy of gender equality, advocate for equality, harmony, constructive interaction, and mutual development between men and women in social and family life, and advance public education on gender equality through their research to communicate relevant knowledge and concepts to the public.

Development directions

Entering a new stage of development, gender studies in China should continue to pursue innovation and integration and concentrate on the following areas.

First, gender studies, currently centered on women’s development, should enhance its diversity and place greater emphasis on examining men’s role in society, their needs, the challenges they face, the unfair treatment of men in certain professions, the life course of fatherhood, and men’s participation in women’s development. 

Second, it is necessary to leverage emerging technologies to improve gender studies. Researchers can apply virtual reality and augmented reality technologies to create simulation scenarios which allow participants to experience first-hand the lives of individuals with different gender identities and the difficulties they encounter, thereby enhancing participants’ empathy with other genders and heightening their awareness of gender equality.

Third, interdisciplinary research and academic innovation should be strengthened. Gender studies has primarily drawn upon literature, history, law, philosophy, education sciences, and sociology. It is necessary to encourage collaboration between gender studies and disciplines such as psychology, anthropology, economics, public administration, medicine, mental health, and ecology, as well as the creation of academic exchange platforms for gender studies.

Fourth, Chinese gender scholars need to engage in international academic exchanges, disseminating China’s theoretical and practical achievements in gender equality to the international academic community. At present, there are several international indicator systems for measuring the level of gender development, such as the Gender Development Index, Gender Inequality Index, Global Gender Gap Index, and Gender Equality Index. Chinese gender scholars should conduct evaluation research on these tools and promote the modification of evaluation systems so that the state of gender development in China can be reflected more objectively and scientifically.

Liu Meng is a professor from the College of International Education and Social Development at Zhejiang Normal University.

Edited by WANG YOURAN