Feminist responses to COVID-19 in China through the lens of affect

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID −19 pandemic has affected men and women differently since its outbreak. However, we still know little about the challenges that women in China have experienced and how they struggled to make their voices heard in the big story of confronting the pandemic. This study draws on affect theories to understand the affective dimension of feminist responses to the pandemic locally. By examining feminist groups and activists who have been vocal on the Sina Weibo platform since the outbreak, this study aims to answer 1. What are the roles of emotion and affect in feminist responses to COVID-19 on Weibo? 2. How does Weibo facilitate the expression and transmission of emotion and affect? The findings will add insight to our understanding of the affective dimension of feminist responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, opening space for thinking about the intersections between feminist politics, the affective, and digital media technologies.