Xintong Jia

Department of Sociology

I’m a PhD candidate in Sociology at City, University of London, supervised by Prof. Rosalind Gill and Dr Lia Litosseliti.

My PhD project examines reality dating shows as a prism to explore female subjectivity and the changing gender relations in contemporary China, shifts in the way that intimacy is practised, and the dynamics of (post)feminism. The key question is: How do the process and practice of reality dating shows work to produce ideas about what it means to be a woman?

Besides, I’m currently working on a piece which inquires into “femvertising” of Victoria’s Secret concerning the commercialised form of sexuality and its current strategy of appealing to Chinese (female) customers. It shows not only how a particular kind of sexually-empowered postfeminist femininity is constructed or appropriated by the brand, but also brings to bear a critical race perspective to understand the marketing strategy of Victoria’s Secret as it travels from the US to China.

My research interests cover media and gender, Foucauldian theory, (post)feminism in China, and qualitative research methods.

Prior to coming to City, I received an MA in Media and Cultural Studies, a BA in Media and Communication Studies, and worked as a journalist and a micro filmmaker.