Research, Activism, and Activist Research in Tongzhi China

This chapter encourages researchers of queer life in the People's Republic of China and elsewhere to take account of the field situation before assuming the applicability of the concept 'activism' to a particular project. Activism is not a transparent concept and has many cultural understandings. Moreover, activism even as locally defined might be limited and carry with it a range of exclusions that prevent researchers from understanding the bigger picture. By being sensitive to the variety of activisms and their relevance to a particular community, researchers can produce more empathic interpretations of culture.