Soft masculinity in the Chinese context: conspicuous cultural consumption and news media-induced moral panic in Xi Jinping’s ideological landscape

Abstract

This thesis examines the phenomenon of soft masculinity in contemporary China, within the primary framework of "conspicuous cultural consumption". It extends the analysis of the subject matter to its ideological implications, particularly vis-à-vis resistance from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The core argument of this thesis is that soft masculinity represents more than just a subcultural trend; it marks a significant shift in China’s consumption patterns— namely, from a traditional focus on the display of economic wealth (as seen in conspicuous consumption) to a more nuanced form of conspicuous cultural consumption, which incorporates (in turn) cultural capital in contemporary China. By integrating Veblen’s (1899) theory of conspicuous consumption and Bourdieu’s (1984) concept of cultural capital, this thesis develops the concept of "conspicuous cultural consumption". It highlights the manner in which contemporary Chinese consumers engage in consumption practices that reflect both social status and cultural identity. The mixed-methods approach, combining surveys and interviews, conceptualizes this framework, demonstrating how Chinese consumers utilize cultural capital to navigate social status, while projecting cultural identities through their consumption choices.
As an extension of the main framework, this thesis further situates soft masculinity within the broader political and ideological context of the Xi Jinping era. It explores the ways in which Chinese state-owned news media have constructed soft masculinity as a cultural threat to traditional gender norms and national stability, reflecting the CCP’s broader ideological goals of promoting traditional masculinity. Using Critical Discourse Studies (CDS) and Moral-panic Theory, this research reveals how soft masculinity is framed as deviant, with Chinese state- owned news media playing a crucial role in shaping public perceptions and reinforcing ideological control. Consequently, by framing soft masculinity as a form of "conspicuous cultural consumption" and extending the broader analysis to the field of ideological resistance, this thesis provides a comprehensive view of the evolving relationship between consumer culture, gender norms, and state ideology in contemporary China. It demonstrates how consumption patterns serve as both reflections of modern Chinese identity and sites of ideological tension, as the state seeks to regulate these behaviours in alignment with its broader cultural and political objectives.

Date of Award	15 Jul 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Nottingham
Supervisor	Filippo Gilardi (Supervisor), Sadia Jamil (Supervisor) & Thomas Whyke (Supervisor)