Research topic

Becoming Authentic: Discourse, Negotiation and Performativity of transgender identity in digital China

Songyin’s primary research interests are communication, digital inequality, gender and queer theories and intersectionality in the Chinese context. His doctoral research focuses specifically on the performative authenticity negotiation of transgender people in their everyday engagements online and offline. Adopting a gender performativity perspective, Songyin aims to explore how identity authenticity is discursively constructed and negotiated by transgender individuals and the mediating role of digital technology in the performative practise of authenticity.

Supervisors: Professor Ellen Helsper and Professor Sarah Banet-Weiser

Biography

Songyin holds a double bachelor's degree in Science and Economics and an MSc degree in Journalism and Communication from Peking University, China. Previously, he worked in several NGOs and an Internet company in China. His doctoral project is fully funded by the LSE PhD Studentship.