Gender drag and parody: Performances of professionalism by two young Chinese women academics

Abstract

In recent decades, research has extensively explored the contextualized performances of women academics, primarily focusing on their academic achievements linked to career progression, predominantly within Western contexts. This study, however, delves into the nonacademic strategies employed by Chinese women academics to establish their professionalism within China’s neoliberal academic and institutional discourses. This approach contributes to a more nuanced understanding of women academics within the Asian higher education context. To unravel this issue, the study employs Butlerian theoretical concepts of drag and parody, qualitatively examining the experiences of two young Chinese women academics. It investigates how they navigate gender performance to portray professionalism through a feminist poststructural lens. The findings reveal that women academics encounter nonacademic assessments that significantly influence their career advancement. This paper provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by Chinese women academics concerning gender and academic subjectivities. It highlights their utilization of dragging and parodic acts as strategies to redefine their academic “excellence.” These discoveries prompt reflection on the profound impact of academic and institutional discourses as modes of governance on Chinese women academics.