In Pursuit Of The Three Highs: Urban Professional Chinese Women’s Experiences And Perceptions Of Gender In/equality In Contemporary China

China’s economic reform policies and efforts have produced a distinct segment of urban professional Chinese women in contemporary China. This emerging segment of women was born post China’s economic reform (1978) and can possess what is commonly referred to as “the three highs”: high education, high professional achievements, and high income according to Chinese standards. The three highs are both a gateway to a “better life” and point of social-cultural tension. Using analysis from fieldwork conducted in Wuhan China, this research examines how social constructs of the three highs shape urban professional Chinese women’s experiences and perceptions of gender in/equality. The dissertation highlights the interplay between individuals and social structures, agency and constraints