Learning as Resistance: Mapping the Construction of Chinese Feminist Digital Activism Community Solidarity in the Context of Neoliberalism

• In Event: Research in Progress Roundtable Session 2
  In Invited Roundtable: Feminist Perspectives on Learning as Resistance, Black Educator Identity, and Mothering (Table 2)

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics of Chinese feminist digital activism under the dual pressures of neoliberalism and state authoritarianism through an education lens. It introduces "learning as resistance", exploring how feminist communities on platforms like Weibo, Douban, and WeChat engage in collective knowledge-sharing to challenge patriarchal norms and structural inequalities. Drawing from critical pedagogy and feminist theories, the research examines the formation of digital feminist networks, their role in fostering solidarity, and their strategies to navigate censorship while addressing the tension between neoliberal individualism and collective action. By highlighting the educational and mobilizing power of digital platforms, this study sheds light on the evolving practices of resistance, solidarity, and gender advocacy within China’s constrained sociopolitical environment.

Author

• Yushan Wang, University of Pennsylvania