Routledge Gender and Work in Urban China - Women Workers Book

Explore the complex relationship between gender and labor in modern China with this academic study from the Routledge Contemporary China Series. While many believe socialism increased women's status and liberated them from patriarchal structures, the economic reforms of the late twentieth century created new challenges. This book examines how women workers became more vulnerable to job loss compared to their male counterparts during these shifts. Moving beyond macro-structural analysis, this work focuses on the lived experiences of individuals. By using extensive life history interviews, the text gives a voice to ordinary women workers navigating a changing economic landscape. It applies feminist perspectives to the Chinese context to provide a deeper understanding of how work and gender intersect in urban environments. This is an essential resource for students and researchers interested in sociology, anthropology, and the social sciences.