Exploring the interplay between feminism and socialism, this book examines how both movements have influenced the redefinition of women's roles and status in China since 1978. It delves into the historical context and contributions of these ideologies, offering insights into their impact on Chinese society and the advancement of women's rights.
Dr. Elisabeth Croll explores the institution of marriage within the context of the People's Republic of China, analyzing its evolution and significance in contemporary society. The book delves into cultural, social, and economic factors that shape marital practices and relationships, offering insights into how traditional values and modern influences intersect. Through her research, Croll provides a comprehensive understanding of marriage as a reflection of broader societal changes in China.
"China's New Consumers" explores the consumer revolution in China over the last 30 years, highlighting the cycle of excess supply and disappointing demand driven by inflated expectations. Combining economic analysis with anthropological insights, it examines the diverse lifestyles and challenges faced by new social categories in China.
This beautifully-written and sophisticated study of Chinese women will strike a chord with readers of Wild Swans and the work of Julia Kristeva. It describes how it actually feels for women to live with the rhetoric of prescribed female qualities, and the gap between that rhetoric and experience. Drawing on vivid self-portraits, personal narratives and remembered moments of girlhood, it describes the changing reality of women's lives during China's republican, revolutionary and reform eras. It looks at how their experience of the Cultural Revolution and other moments of China's history has diverged from the experience of men, and how, today, a new image of 'femininity with Chinese characteristics' is emerging.