Social Capital and Gender Inequality in Contemporary China: A Quantitative Analysis from Structure-Cognition Paradigm

Abstract

The dilemma of gender inequality is embodied not only in the potential confrontation under patriarchal disciplines in both household and workplace, but also the pursuit of work-family balance. This paper argues how social capital contributes to or constrains gender equality from a structural-cognitive paradigm. Three sub-concepts of social capital, namely social trust, network strength, and social exchange are included. Gender inequality is categorized as gender inequality in the family, gender inequality in the workplace, and female work-family balance. The findings suggest that social trust significantly contributes to individual support for household gender equality and female work-family balance. Besides, higher levels of network strength will lead to perception of indiscrimination between male and female in terms of working capacities. However, the practice of social exchange brings patriarchal regularities back to all three dimensions of gender inequalities, coming from the compromise and practice of gender subordination, objectification, or discrimination in exchanging favors. The article's conclusions demonstrate the necessity of bringing a typological argument of gender inequality and a structural-cognitive paradigm of social capital altogether.