{"product_id":"queer-women-in-urban-china-ethnography-of-lala-lives","title":"Queer Women in Urban China - Ethnography of Lala Lives","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Queer Women in Urban China, the reviewer finds a focused anthropological study ideal for readers seeking an in-depth look at contemporary lesbian communities in mainland China. Elisabeth L. Engebretsen offers a sustained, evidence-based account of lala social worlds, arguing that pressures and identities are deeply gendered; the single biggest reason to buy this book is its status as the first detailed ethnography of everyday lala intimacies, social roles, and family strategies in a rapidly changing urban China.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirst anthropological study:\u003c\/strong\u003e Presents original fieldwork on lala lives, giving readers access to everyday practices rarely covered in academic literature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGendered analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explores how family and social pressures are experienced differently by women, clarifying why gender matters in sexual subjectivity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDetailed topics:\u003c\/strong\u003e Examines T-P (tomboy-wife) roles, contract marriages, and same-sex weddings to show the diversity of lala strategies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCommunity focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Documents community activism and social networks that shape urban lala identities and collective strategies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePractical case studies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Uses concrete examples of complicit transgressions and the desire to appear \"normal\" to illustrate complex negotiations of respectability.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is best for readers in academic or policy fields-graduate students, researchers in gender studies, anthropology, and contemporary China, and activists seeking rigorous qualitative evidence about lesbian lives and community formation. It serves as a valuable classroom text for courses on sexuality, kinship, or Chinese society.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders looking for a broad social history, a popular narrative, or an introductory textbook with extensive background on LGBT rights law may want a complementary general overview, since this is a focused ethnographic study centered on lala everyday life and gendered strategies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides unprecedented ethnographic detail on lala intimacies and community activism.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers a careful, gendered framework that clarifies why family pressure affects women differently.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes practical case analyses of T-P roles, contract marriages, and same-sex wedding practices.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSpecialist focus and academic tone may feel dense for casual readers seeking a lighter introduction.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eQueer Women in Urban China\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeries\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRoutledge Research in Gender and Society\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor \/ Editor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eElisabeth L. Engebretsen\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScope\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEthnographic study of lala lives in mainland China\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain topics\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSexual subjectivity, T-P roles, contract marriages, same-sex weddings\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAnthropological fieldwork and gendered analysis\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eQueer Women in Urban China is a substantial and valuable ethnography for scholars and students who need a rigorous account of lesbian lives and gendered family pressures in contemporary China. Its focused analysis of intimacy, community, and strategies of respectability makes it worthwhile academic reading and good value for those researching gender, sexuality, or Chinese urban change.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book include firsthand fieldwork?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The book is based on anthropological fieldwork that documents everyday lala lives and community practices.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the book suitable for undergraduate courses?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt can be used in upper-level undergrad or graduate courses in gender studies or anthropology, though instructors may pair it with broader overviews for context.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the author discuss family and kinship?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. Engebretsen examines family pressures, kinship negotiations, and strategies like contract marriages in depth.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Elisabeth L. Engebretsen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48760264229083,"sku":"0415636205","price":180.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/61MSm_zKz2L._SL1387.jpg?v=1778422513","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/queer-women-in-urban-china-ethnography-of-lala-lives","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}