Gendered representation of human trafficking and transforming patriarchal configurations in China: a mixed-methods analysis of People’s Daily , 2011–2024

Human trafficking of women and children (HTWC) has always been a global concern and a persistent social issue in China. But feminist critiques of HTWC’s media representations are insufficient in understanding the underlying gendered power dynamics and ideologies, especially in non-Western, local socio-political contexts. Drawing on the anthropological notion of “transforming patriarchal configurations,” which focuses on the interplay between gender and generational inequalities, this study takes China’s state media as a critical and illustrative case. It systematically explores how HTWC’s representations engage with patriarchal values embedded in Chinese society. This study analyzes 117 news articles from People’s Daily (2011–2024) with critical discourse analysis and content analysis. The findings reveal a nuanced picture. The ambivalent subordinations between society, families, and individuals reframe personal suffering as collective tragedies for families and society. Structural causes like gender inequality are systematically downplayed in favor of discourses prioritizing patriarchal familial values and social order, echoing the state’s intent to preserve existing patriarchal family structures and maintain social stability, thereby legitimizing the very gendered hierarchies that potentially exacerbate HTWC. This study contributes to understanding how state media’s discourses shape patriarchal configurations and offers insights into media representation research of HTWC and gender violence more broadly.