Authors

• Xingyuan Meng School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University

Keywords:

feminism, China, affinity network, participatory culture, Douban

Abstract

This study contributes to the growing body of research on Chinese digital feminist spaces by examining how female users construct and sustain supportive affinity networks and the participatory practices that shape their group culture and power dynamics. Drawing on a yearlong qualitative netnographic observation of the Survival Guide for Ordinary Women, a Douban discussion group, this study foregrounds Douban as a rich yet underexplored social media platform within Chinese participatory culture. The findings reveal how grassroots affinity networks challenge dominant neoliberal feminist narratives by fostering anti-elitism, anti-consumerism, and pragmatic feminist pedagogy. Additionally, this study highlights the complex interplay between hierarchical governance and participatory learning, offering a nuanced understanding of power structures within digital feminist communities. By analyzing how women construct their own community rules, enforce ideological boundaries, and prioritize functional empowerment, this study provides critical insights into the diverse forms of feminist resistance and self-organization in China’s digital landscape.