PhD position M/F – New forms of conjugality and parenthood in contemporary China

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Project Presentation
The use of reproductive medicine is not new in China. While artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization are authorized and widely practiced, the commercialization of gametes and surrogacy remain prohibited by law. However, an informal and partially regulated market involving agencies and clinics has developed in major cities, in response to increasing demand from the LGBTQIA+ community and from couples who have lost their only child.
The ERC Starting Grant project “DouMotherChina” takes these practices as a starting point for a comparative and diachronic study of reproductive arrangements involving a third party: concubines in polygynous families before 1950, mistresses in extramarital relationships, and surrogate mothers today.
By analyzing these marginal forms of kinship and conjugality, the project aims to shed light on broader social transformations in contemporary China and to renew anthropological approaches to kinship, while critically examining issues of gender, bioethics, and racialization in national and transnational assisted reproductive practices.
PhD Research Topics
The successful candidate will choose one of the following two research topics:
Topic 1
Reproductive Pathways of Parents Who Have Lost Their Only Child in China
This research will focus on two main dimensions:
• The long-term consequences of the One-Child Policy and how it has shaped kinship practices within heterosexual families.
• Conception pathways through assisted reproductive technologies, analyzing the social, medical, and moral trajectories of these families.
In addition to classical ethnographic fieldwork, this doctoral project may include an audiovisual component, potentially leading to the production of a documentary film and/or contribution to a future museum exhibition linked to the ERC project, subject to appropriate methodological and ethical supervision.
Topic 2
The Lives of Mistresses Who Have Had a Child within Extramarital Relationships in Urban China
This research aims to:
1. Analyze the biographical trajectories of women engaged in extramarital relationships in urban settings and their relationships with their families of origin;
2. Examine the social, moral, and legal constraints they face, as well as the forms of agency they develop in organizing their intimate and family lives;
3. Explore their relationships with their children, male partners, and the partners' “official” wives.
This research will provide an in-depth analysis of:
• The social role of mistresses in both family and public spheres;
• Strategies for securing social and legal recognition of children;
• Non-institutionalized forms of conjugality and parenthood among heterosexual populations in contemporary China.
Main Duties
• Conduct literature reviews on relevant theoretical fields and research contexts
• Carry out ethnographic fieldwork in China: life histories, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, focus groups, and audiovisual data collection
• Participate in and contribute to monthly workshops within the DouMotherChina research team
• Organize and participate in research seminars, national and international conferences
• Write and publish academic articles
• Contribute to editorial and coordination activities within the DouMotherChina project

Requirements

Eligibility Criteria

• Master's degree (completed or near completion) in Social Sciences, preferably Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, or Chinese Studies
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative research methods (interviews, ethnographic observation)
• Strong knowledge of academic debates on kinship, gender, and Science and Technology Studies (STS) in the Chinese context
• Ability to work within an international and interdisciplinary research team
Language Requirements
• The PhD dissertation may be written in French or English. Excellent proficiency in the chosen language is required.
• For non-French-speaking candidates, learning French is strongly recommended to facilitate local and academic integration.
• Advanced proficiency in Chinese is mandatory for conducting fieldwork in China.

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted in French or English and include:
• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter
• Contact details of two referees (letters of recommendation will be requested only from shortlisted candidates)
• A research proposal (maximum 10 pages) on one of the two proposed topics, including a preliminary bibliography
• Master's thesis (if available) or an example of academic written work (in French or English)
• Copy of the most recent diploma and academic transcripts

Your Work Environment

The recruited PhD candidate will be employed by the CNRS and affiliated with LISST – Centre d'Anthropologie Sociale (UMR 5193), Toulouse, France.
The candidate will join the ERC DouMotherChina research team led by Principal Investigator Renyou HOU, and more broadly the LISST-CAS, one of France's leading research centers on contemporary transformations of kinship.

Application Procedure
Applications must be submitted in French or English and include:
• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter
• Contact details of two referees (letters of recommendation will be requested only from shortlisted candidates)
• A research proposal (maximum 10 pages) on one of the two proposed topics, including a preliminary bibliography
• Master's thesis (if available) or an example of academic written work (in French or English)
• Copy of the most recent diploma and academic transcripts

This doctoral position is funded by the European Research Council (ERC). Dedicated funding is available for fieldwork, international conferences, and research-related scientific activities within the project.

Application Deadline: 30 April 2026
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview within two weeks after the deadline.

For further information regarding the scientific framework and expectations of the position, please contact Renyou HOU Principal Investigator

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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