Media Representations of Nüding in China (2005–2015)

Authors

  • Chao Lu School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China.
  • Ke Zhang PhD Student School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing
  • Jingyuan Zhang Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing

Keywords:

nüding, China, news representations, social actor, tradition, modernity

Abstract

In recent years, Chinese media witnessed an increasing She Power in a mosaic context with an impressive improvement in women labor participation and a resurgence of patriarchal traditions. Chinese women–themed investigations have been mostly restricted to sociological and psychological perspectives; however, the discursive representations of Chinese child-free women and the exploration of the ideological factors remain inadequate. To address the gap, this article examines news representations of nüding (child-free women), a gender-nonconforming group, by drawing on van Leeuwen’s social actor theory as one strand of critical discourse analysis. In so doing, we collected data from two state-owned newspapers, Global Times and China Daily, in China. Our data consist of 93 news reports on nüding-related phenomena. Research results reveal that nüding are dominantly represented as pressure-suffering women, self-centered women, and career-minded women. This article ends with a discussion of ideological contestations that emerge from such representations of nüding. 

Author Biographies

Chao Lu, School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China.

Chao Lu is an Assistant Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing. Her areas of specialisation are gender studies and critical discourse analysis.010-82376845

Ke Zhang, PhD Student School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing

Ke Zhang is currently pursuing his PhD degree at the School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing. His areas of interest include sociolinguistics, gender studies and discourse analysis. 010-82376845

Jingyuan Zhang, Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing

Jingyuan Zhang is a Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, University of Science and Technology Beijing. His research interests include discourse studies and applied linguistics. He has published scholarly articles in Australian Journal of Linguistics, Computer Assisted Language learning, Culture & Psychologyand others. 010-82376845

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Published

2023-02-26

Issue

Vol. 17 (2023)

Section

Articles

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