Gender and rural reforms in China: A case study of population control and land rights policies in northern Liaoning

Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this paper explores the gender dimensions of population control and land tenure policies in a rural village in Northeast China. Gender bias was explicit in the implementation of both policies in the village between 1980 and the mid-1990s. Since that time, explicit ge...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Feminist economics 2007-07, Vol.13 (3-4), p.63-92
Main Authors: Chen, Junjie, Summerfield, Gale
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bias
China
Discrimination
Economic policy
Gender
Gender equity
Gender studies
JEL Codes: J16
JEL Codes: J16, P36, Q15
land
Land rights
Land tenure
Modernization
P36
Peoples Republic of China
Policy Reform
Population
population control
Population Policy
Q15
Rural Areas
Sex
Studies
Women
World Trade Organization
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this paper explores the gender dimensions of population control and land tenure policies in a rural village in Northeast China. Gender bias was explicit in the implementation of both policies in the village between 1980 and the mid-1990s. Since that time, explicit gender bias has been reduced and both policies have stressed market incentives more, reflecting China's modernization goals and accession to the WTO. Yet the policies are not gender neutral in their implementation, effects, and interactions. Women remain the target of the eased population policy, and they are more likely to become "landless" at marriage. The policies work together to reinforce traditional and emerging forms of gender bias, though at times they offset each other. They impact women's bargaining power within the home, status in the community, and social security. Together they provide a richer view of the gendered experience of living in the village.
ISSN:1354-5701
1466-4372
DOI:10.1080/13545700701439440