Wenchao Zhu

Profile

Biography

Wenchao Zhu is a PhD researcher at the Centre for Women’s Studies, University of York. His research examines how contemporary Chinese digital discourse constructs and negotiates meanings of reproduction, kinship, gendered obligations and family legitimacy.

His doctoral project explores how discussions on Chinese social media platforms, including Zhihu, Xiaohongshu and Weibo, reproduce, negotiate and challenge dominant understandings of reproduction and family life. Particular attention is paid to the cultural significance of bloodline and lineage, the moral expectations surrounding parenthood, and the gendered distribution of reproductive and familial responsibilities. By examining both online discussions and relevant policy discourse, the project investigates how individual experiences and public debates intersect with broader social expectations and institutional understandings of family and reproduction in contemporary China.

Methodologically, his research combines corpus-assisted discourse analysis with critical discourse analysis, informed by feminist approaches to language, gender and power. Through the integration of corpus-based patterns and close qualitative analysis, the project seeks to identify recurring discursive constructions and examine how they contribute to the reproduction, negotiation and contestation of social norms surrounding reproduction, kinship and family life.

His broader academic interests include digital culture, gender and sexuality studies, family sociology, and the relationship between language, power and social change.