Scholars in contemporary China have been engaged in research on women since mid 1980s.The term “women’s studies” has been translated into Chinese since 1982 and many associations of women’s studies have been formed since than.However,the lasting interest in research on women has neither resulted in curriculum transformation in higher education in China,nor created gender studies as a legitimate academic field.This article presents an analysis of the factors that have affected the development of gender studies in China.The author examines the conservative trend in the Chinese academic mainstream in the reform era,and analyzes male intellectuals’ role in reproducing and consolidating gender hierarchy as a response or reaction to political,economic and gender policies of the Mao era.The article also discusses the necessity and feasibility of creating women and gender studies in higher education in China.
