Gendered Childhoods: Remaking Family and Work Inequalities in Post-Socialist China
The Department of Sociology is excited to host Dr. Yang Hu on January 7 for the third lecture in our 2024-25 Distinguished Speaker Series.
Dr. Hu, Professor of Global Sociology at Lancaster University, will present a lecture titled “Gendered Childhoods: Remaking Family and Work Inequalities in Post-Socialist China.”
ABSTRACT
Dr. Yang Hu
Post-socialist China has seen a sharp resurgence of gender inequality in people’s family and work lives. Chiming with a global trend, Chinese women surpassed men in education. Yet, women’s labor force participation rate dropped. Occupational gender segregation persists. Women still shoulder the lion’s share of domestic and care responsibilities. Gender discrimination is increasingly rampant. Once a glorified epitome of state-enforced gender equality, the status quo looks dystopian.
What does the future hold for the prospect of gender equality in China? To answer this question, we must look to the next generation and examine how Chinese children are brought up. How do they learn to perform family and work roles? How do they envision their future work and family lives? What does it take to fulfill their work and family aspirations? Why are some dreams broken and gender equality unrealized?
In this talk, Professor Yang Hu presents large-scale evidence and theoretical developments from his decade-long research on gendered intergenerational relations and the reproduction of family and work inequalities in China. The talk examines gendered childhoods across the domains of home, school, and (future) work, as well as the (dis)connections between these domains. Professor Hu proposes family-work-school “institutional triple bind” and “life-course inconsistency” as crucial lenses for understanding gendered childhoods and the future of family and work gender inequalities in China.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Yang Hu is Professor of Global Sociology at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom. He is co-director of the Early Career Fellowship Program at the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) and a member of the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab. His research examines family and work changes and inequalities in a global context, including the implications of digitalization and AI (artificial intelligence) for work and family lives.
Professor Hu’s recent research has been published in journals including Nature Human Behaviour, Gender & Society, Journal of Marriage and Family, European Sociological Review, and the British Journal of Sociology. He is also author of the book Chinese-British Intermarriage – Disentangling Gender and Ethnicity.
Find out more about Dr. Hu here.
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ACCESSIBILITY
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities, we ask that you please refrain from wearing strong fragrances. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact us through the RSVP form or email us at soci.communications@ubc.ca.