Luran Yu

Blossoming Flowers: The Changes in Women’s Familial Roles Under the Modernization of China

Started Aug. 22, 2023

Abstract or project description

As China advances expeditiously after the economic reform to mass modernization and globalization, the newly formed values challenge China’s old, patriarchal traditions. This hybrid of traditions and modernity leaves a lasting impact on one of the most important societal components in China– family structure. In specific, the once patriarchal culture, which now embraces its antitheses– feminism and gender equality– marks the significant transition of Chinese family roles, with women expanding their roles in and beyond family business. In this qualitative research, I use semi-structured interviews to unravel the process of female awakening within the private sphere through individual tellings, examining the pros and cons of modernization on traditional family structures and roles from a female perspective.