Examining Discrimination against Women, non-Han Minorities, Intellectuals, and non-Communist Members among the Current China’s Provincial Political Elites

Birth influences future: examining discrimination against Chinese deputy mayors with grassroots administration origins

“…For the control variables, we compared the results in Tables 2 and 3 and found that Education, GDP Growth and Ln Per Capital GDP, which present officials' merits, showed nonsignificant or uncertain effects on political promotion, indicating that deputy mayors' opportunities to serve in chief positions were not determined by their capabilities or performances. This result should be understood as discrimination (Fu et al, 2018). In addition, Age and non-communist party membership (Party) were negatively correlated with promotion, which is consistent with previous literature (Li and Zhou, 2005;Fu et al, 2018).…”

“…This result should be understood as discrimination (Fu et al, 2018). In addition, Age and non-communist party membership (Party) were negatively correlated with promotion, which is consistent with previous literature (Li and Zhou, 2005;Fu et al, 2018).…”

“…Some scholars have studied gender inequality in Chinese politics (Su, 2006;Tian and Bush, 2020). Another study examined discrimination against women, non-Han minorities, intellectuals, and non-communist members among current China's provincial political elites (Fu et al, 2018). However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no systematic empirical study that addresses the unfair political treatment of Chinese officials with grassroots beginnings.…”

Suzhi, Guanxi, and the Abject Body: Nonhuman Agents of Paradox that Perform Identity Work Together With Chinese Women Political Leaders

“…China’s political climate is intricate, and although increasingly more women work in China’s political institutions, women among the leadership boards are rare. For perspective, at the provincial level (second from the top), PRC has 1242 leadership positions—including 124 chiefs—in the four major branches of its political system; amongst the total number, 10.8% are women (Fu et al, 2018). Women in chief positions are scarce across all levels and branches and are, as one participant stated, “too conspicuous.” Thus, all identifiers (e.g., specific titles) have been removed or camouflaged.…”

“…The Party-State has attributed women’s inhibited political participation to women’s “biological vulnerability” and “low quality/ suzhi ” associated with “feudal remnants” or “backward cultural practices,” without considering current structural barriers (Edwards, 2007, p 385; also see Howell, 2002). The Party-State has been aware of the under-representation of women, among other political categories, within its systems, and has thus prioritized these categories in leadership recruitment and reformation in different periods to “enrich” government institutions (Fu et al, 2018). However, Fu et al and another related study (Su, 2006) investigating the numerical representation of these categories in provincial-level leadership positions, still suggested that women are marginalized in China’s politics.…”