Identity Loss in Chinese Married Women
A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the No Sense of Home Phenomenon
Abstract
The identity of married women in China has elicited heated discussion. While this topic is hotly debated, few academic studies have investigated discursive representations of this phenomenon on social media platforms. To fill this gap, this study employs keyword analysis with legitimation as the theoretical framework, using corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis to investigate the reasons behind and the identity loss underlying discourses of married women on Zhihu, one of the most popular online forums in China. The findings suggest those women's identity is influenced by reasons behind their natal, in-law, and nuclear families; thus, they are identified as having different roles. This indicates the ideological implication that a Chinese married woman has no sense of home. Various discursive strategies are employed in the discourse, most notably authorisation, moral evaluation, and rationalisation. Findings underscore the current status and predicament of femininity in contemporary Chinese society and highlight the ideological implications rooted in patriarchy.
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