Gender Archaeology in China
Recent Developments
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23490909 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Min Lin (0000-0002-2975-3386, University of Cambridge, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 423-440 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-22 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | The Oxford Handbook of the History and Practice of Chinese Archaeology (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197800324.013.0024 |
| OpenAlex | W7170094461 |
| ISBN | 9780197800324 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 15 |
Gender archaeology began to gain recognition at the beginning of the 21st century in China, with theories and methodologies diversifying through a proliferation of studies on gender issues. In the last decade the number of journal articles with xingbie kaogu 性別考古 or xingbie kaoguxue 性別考古學 as keywords has increased more than threefold. However, explicit discussion of feminist theory remains rare, while old paradigms persist. This chapter begins by clarifying the key distinction between archaeology of gender and gender archaeology. Then, it examines Chinese archaeologists’ engagement with feminist theory by focusing on two crucial theoretical issues: the binary bind of sex and gender that underpins all gender studies in China, and the incorporation of gender into understandings of social structure, without which gender archaeology cannot demonstrate its full potential. Gender archaeology is not merely a theoretical debate but also a practical concern. This chapter also investigates the practice and dissemination of gender archaeology in Chinese universities and archaeological institutions. The practice of gender archaeology is intertwined with social movements around gender identity in mainland China. The history of the feminist movement in modern China has shaped public and academic discourse on gender, which, in turn, has influenced archaeological research. This chapter also examines gender dynamics in the practice of archaeology and the dissemination of knowledge in the sociohistorical and sociopolitical context of feminism.
Archaeological theory · China · Conflict archaeology · Context (archaeology) · Gender history · Identity (music) · Mainland China · Post-medieval archaeology · Social constructionism · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies
| Highly cited | No |
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