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Left Behind? The Status of Women in Contemporary China

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Walker

    (School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, China)

  • Jane Millar

    (Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath, UK)

Abstract

The status of women in China has deteriorated markedly since 2006 relative to other countries, according to the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index. Taking a longer view, the position of women has greatly improved since the founding of the People’s Republic of China but, after the ‘opening up’ of the economy, the logic of the market and the legacy of patriarchy have worked to the detriment of women. After briefly reviewing trends in China’s economic, demographic and social development, this editorial follows the structure of the thematic issue in focusing on the processes which may have caused women to slip behind. Socio-economic and political factors are considered first before focusing on the impact of unprecedently large scale migration. The circumstances and experiences of women ‘left outside’ mainstream society are explored next before reflecting on the lives of women left behind in poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Walker & Jane Millar, 2020. "Left Behind? The Status of Women in Contemporary China," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:socinc:v:8:y:2020:i:2:p:1-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xiaohui Zhong & Minggang Peng, 2020. "The Grandmothers’ Farewell to Childcare Provision under China’s Two-Child Policy: Evidence from Guangzhou Middle-Class Families," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 36-46.
    2. Pengli Huang, 2020. "The Making of a Modern Self: Vietnamese Women Experiencing Transnational Mobility at the China–Vietnam Border," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 77-85.
    3. Lichao Yang & Xiaodong Ren, 2020. "Transitions and Conflicts: Reexamining Impacts of Migration on Young Women’s Status and Gender Practice in Rural Shanxi," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 58-67.
    4. Binli Chen & Hailan He, 2020. "Falling behind the Rest? China and the Gender Gap Index," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 10-22.
    5. Juhua Yang, 2020. "Women in China Moving Forward: Progress, Challenges and Reflections," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 23-35.
    6. Guanli Zhang, 2020. "Perceiving and Deflecting Everyday Poverty-Related Shame: Evidence from 35 Female Marriage Migrants in Rural China," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 123-131.
    7. Lian Tong & Qiong Yan & Ichiro Kawachi, 2019. "The factors associated with being left-behind children in China: Multilevel analysis with nationally representative data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, November.
    8. Xiying Wang & Liu Liu, 2020. "Sex, Drug, and HIV/AIDS: The Drug Career of an Urban Chinese Woman," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 86-94.
    9. Jing Zheng & Yuxin Pei & Ya Gao, 2020. "Social Media as a Disguise and an Aid: Disabled Women in the Cyber Workforce in China," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 104-113.
    10. Mengwei Tu & Kailing Xie, 2020. "Privileged Daughters? Gendered Mobility among Highly Educated Chinese Female Migrants in the UK," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 68-76.
    11. C. Cindy Fan & Chen Chen, 2020. "Left Behind? Migration Stories of Two Women in Rural China," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 47-57.
    12. Qin Li, 2020. "Mothers Left without a Man: Poverty and Single Parenthood in China," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 114-122.
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    Cited by:

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