“I can't have it both ways” : emotion-laden tensions, emotion labor, and identity constructions of female English language teachers in Chinese higher education

Abstract

Adopting a poststructuralist theoretical approach, this study explored the emotion-laden tensions, emotion labor, and identity constructions of university female English language teachers within the changing institutional and sociocultural contexts in China. Data were collected through narrative frames and follow-up interviews with 13 female English language teachers in mainland Chinese universities. The findings revealed that female teachers' emotion-laden tensions and emotion labor were shaped by a complex interplay of institutional and sociocultural expectations, which were both demanding and sometimes competing. With emotions creating a space for them to reflect upon their experiences, they developed a deeper understanding of the contextual realities and (re)negotiated their identities in response to the contextual expectations, characterized by a “compliance–resistance” duality. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of how neoliberal institutional ethos, centralized socialist management origins, and Chinese traditional gender discourses intertwine and are co-opted to shape female teachers' emotions. It also generates new insights into how teachers actively engage with dominant discourses to construct identities that align with their internal subjectivities. The study offers implications for the professional development and well-being of female academics, as well as for higher education policies in China and beyond.