Men in charge of “real” work and women the office “housework”: Chinese policewomen in the post-socialist era

Abstract

ABSTRACT This qualitative study seeks to contribute to studies on the gender division of labor by examining how Chinese policewomen cope with the still-socialist or danwei style of human resource management. In the post-socialist market reform era, the police department has gone through significant changes, undertaking greater economic monitoring and social service functions, including more office work, with an increasing emphasis on the harmonious relationship between the police and public or service-oriented work. These changes have led to a larger number of policewomen, but have not led to a more equitable division of labor due to the persistence of familial norms of womanhood and the enduring police service performance evaluation system that prioritizes crime-fighting tasks over public-service duties. Against this backdrop, we find that policewomen display a certain degree of flexibility, utilizing certain feminine traits in their community service work while maintaining a non-feminine and physically robust outlook.