A recent reproductive crisis has brought renewed interest in the century-old “family problem” (家庭问题) and “women’s problem” (妇女问题). Related issues have not only been debated in the discursive field, but also informed cross-border fields such as social policymaking and the law. Intrigued by questions such as why the state calls for increasing reproductivity have met with lukewarm responses, Jin Jiang, Department of History, East China Normal University and Yeung Visiting Scholar, East Asian Studies Program, Johns Hopkins University (2023 – 2024), will start with a historical overview before discussing some of the ongoing important changes in the family system and women’s roles in Chinese society.

Co-sponsored by the Department of History and the International Studies Program.