Independence and Belonging

The Spiritual History of New Women in the Republican Era of China
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-40988-5
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 178 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 490 g

Reihe: China Perspectives

Adopting a spiritual history approach, this book traces the evolution of the concept of “New Women,” which first emerged in China during the 1920s and 1930s. It reveals the profound significance of this concept, as well as the inherent tensions and losses involved in the creation of a modern Chinese identity.

Taking “leaving home” as its analytical starting point, the study examines the life histories and spiritual trajectories of “New Women” in Republican China. Although leaving home initiated their quest for independence, the question of “belonging” remained an ever-present shadow. Through a rigorous analysis of notable figures such as Ding Ling, Xie Bingying, and Xu Guangping, the book explores how this tension unfolded during significant historical events, including student movements, romantic relationships, revolutions, and material culture. The book argues that when “New Women” left home to resist arranged marriages, they sought alternative emotional support in new social relationships yet confronted new challenges. Ultimately, their spiritual history often led to two typical trajectories: Sublimation of the self through dedication to a “greater self” or a collective, or a descent into material consumption and the “bodily utopia” of self-decoration.

This volume will serve as an invaluable reference for scholars and students of modern Chinese history, Chinese feminism, and Chinese social history.

Zielgruppe

Academic, Postgraduate, Undergraduate Advanced, and Undergraduate Core

Autoren/Hrsg.

Suhong, Hang

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Asiatische Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Mentalitäts- und Sozialgeschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziale Gruppen/Soziale Themen Gender Studies, Geschlechtersoziologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction 2. Leaving Home 3. Student Movements 4. Love 5. Revolution 6. Another Path—Materiality 7. Epilogue

Über Autor(innen)

Hang Suhong is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Her research interests include family sociology, historical sociology, and the history of sociology.