Date of Thesis

Fall 2024

Description

This study will document the extent to which China continues to be affected by the influence of traditional gender norms, and the degree to which gender relations in China are changing in terms of culture, behavioral norms, labor force participation, and family structure. The study will also document the Chinese government’s family planning policy and marriage law that reflect traditional gender norms. In establishing the current state of gender equality in China, this study will assess the current and potential future impact of gender norms on economic growth and population growth. Subsequently, the Chinese experience will be contrasted with Japan and South Korea, two nations that are also founded on similar Confucian cultural norms and are facing comparable circumstances. Cultural parallels and variations will be examined, as well as how these factors might lead to the same economic outcomes in different cultural contexts. Part 3.4 of the thesis incorporates a questionnaire exploring intergenerational gender perceptions among Chinese women, specifically examining how college-age young women and their mothers experience and interpret gender roles. It displays the contrasting gender-related challenges and expectations each generation faces as the social, economic, and familial contexts shift. In the last part of the project, a comparative study with Nordic countries that lead the world in gender equality will also be conducted to identify innovative and feasible economic strategies related to gender policy. Thus, this study will analyze the evolution and current state of gender roles, gender equality, and gender policy in China, as compared with other East Asian countries with a similar cultural heritage and Nordic countries with the greatest degree of gender equality, to assess the impact of gender inequality on China’s economic development and the potential for government policy to address unhealthy demographics that backward gender concepts can cause.

Keywords

Economic Development, Gender Equality, Workplace Gender Roles, Confucian

Access Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Type

Bachelor of Arts

Major

Economics

First Advisor

Geoff Schneider

Second Advisor

Janet Knoedler

Third Advisor

Keegan Kang

Additional Files
Liu_Hejie_IRB_Approval.pdf (70 kB)
Appendix-Hejie Liu.pdf (3121 kB)
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