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Western cosmetics in the gendered development of consumer culture in China

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  • Barbara Hopkins

Abstract

This paper examines the changes in China's gender regime during the reform period, especially during China's accession to the WTO. The analysis provides a framework to relate these changes to the consumption behavior of women, especially the increased consumption of cosmetics, to interpret the impact of accession on the gender regime in China. Institutionalist theories that model consumption decisions as a personal display of group identity are extended to the special case of gender identity. According to this framework, the desire to display identity, such as social status or lifestyles, shapes the decision to consume commodities that also display gender such as cosmetics. Thus, the new gender regime is an unintended consequence of a complex pursuit of identity. When consumption is understood as a performance of identity, we can see how the expansion of aggressive marketing tactics affects consumption by influencing the associations of goods with social status.

Suggested Citation

  • Barbara Hopkins, 2007. "Western cosmetics in the gendered development of consumer culture in China," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3-4), pages 287-306.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:13:y:2007:i:3-4:p:287-306
    DOI: 10.1080/13545700701439416
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    Cited by:

    1. Ajitha, S. & Sivakumar, V.J., 2017. "Understanding the effect of personal and social value on attitude and usage behavior of luxury cosmetic brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 103-113.
    2. Kelly Lau, 2018. "Uncovering Chinese Stereotypes and Their Influence on Adolescent Male Makeup Purchasing Behavior," Journal of Social Science Studies, Macrothink Institute, vol. 5(1), pages 248-262, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumption; gender; identity politics; JEL Codes: P36; B52; B54;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • B54 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Feminist Economics

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