‘It’s Like Two Hedgehogs Hugging Each Other’: Neo-familism and Family Power Dynamics from Young Queer Chinese Persons’ Narrations
(2023) SIMZ21 20231Graduate School
- Abstract
- This research analyzes expressions of neo-familism among young queer Chinese persons’ narrations of their family relationships. An inductive approach was adopted and a first-round life history interviewing combined with a second-round semi-structured interviewing was conducted to gather in-depth narratives from four key informants. The concepts of neo-familism, power, and agency were applied to analyze the family dynamics reflected in empirical data. Research results revealed both material and emotional expressions of neo-familism. On the face level, several rational power strategies rooted in materialist logic such as logical persuasion, hinting, lying flat, and withdrawal were embraced by my informants in their pursuit of personal... (More)
- This research analyzes expressions of neo-familism among young queer Chinese persons’ narrations of their family relationships. An inductive approach was adopted and a first-round life history interviewing combined with a second-round semi-structured interviewing was conducted to gather in-depth narratives from four key informants. The concepts of neo-familism, power, and agency were applied to analyze the family dynamics reflected in empirical data. Research results revealed both material and emotional expressions of neo-familism. On the face level, several rational power strategies rooted in materialist logic such as logical persuasion, hinting, lying flat, and withdrawal were embraced by my informants in their pursuit of personal freedom and self-autonomy. Beneath the face level, three aspects of the power of emotion and intimacy were observed among the transcripts: first, guilt as the emotional side of holding material power could refrain young queer Chinese persons from confronting disagreements with the family; second, the hurt from past incidents pointed out the importance of continuous emotional exchange through communication, young queer Chinese persons’ individual agency in utilizing emotion and affection as part of the moral capital to gain emotional leverage against certain family members was also identified; third, family intimacy would eventually prevail as family ties would not be broken by young queer Chinese persons’ desire for individuality or the past hurt they had received from the family. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9127562
- author
- Huang, Xiaoxuan LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SIMZ21 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Neo-familism, emotional exchange, intimate power, individual agency, young queer Chinese persons.
- language
- English
- id
- 9127562
- date added to LUP
- 2023-06-21 15:20:37
- date last changed
- 2023-06-21 15:20:37
@misc{9127562,
abstract = {{This research analyzes expressions of neo-familism among young queer Chinese persons’ narrations of their family relationships. An inductive approach was adopted and a first-round life history interviewing combined with a second-round semi-structured interviewing was conducted to gather in-depth narratives from four key informants. The concepts of neo-familism, power, and agency were applied to analyze the family dynamics reflected in empirical data. Research results revealed both material and emotional expressions of neo-familism. On the face level, several rational power strategies rooted in materialist logic such as logical persuasion, hinting, lying flat, and withdrawal were embraced by my informants in their pursuit of personal freedom and self-autonomy. Beneath the face level, three aspects of the power of emotion and intimacy were observed among the transcripts: first, guilt as the emotional side of holding material power could refrain young queer Chinese persons from confronting disagreements with the family; second, the hurt from past incidents pointed out the importance of continuous emotional exchange through communication, young queer Chinese persons’ individual agency in utilizing emotion and affection as part of the moral capital to gain emotional leverage against certain family members was also identified; third, family intimacy would eventually prevail as family ties would not be broken by young queer Chinese persons’ desire for individuality or the past hurt they had received from the family.}},
author = {{Huang, Xiaoxuan}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{‘It’s Like Two Hedgehogs Hugging Each Other’: Neo-familism and Family Power Dynamics from Young Queer Chinese Persons’ Narrations}},
year = {{2023}},
}