Quiet Strategies: Gender, Agency, and Sustainable Academia in China

Abstract This study employs grounded theory to explore the phenomenon of workplace silence among women faculty in Chinese universities. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, naturalistic observations, and the collection of relevant textual materials, we conducted open, axial, and selective coding to construct a theoretical framework. The findings reveal that: (1) individual-level motivations for silence stem from gender role expectations, emotional-regulation needs, and self-protection intentions; (2) contextual-level catalysts include institutional structures, interpersonal dynamics, and cultural conflicts; (3) behavioral manifestations appear in three distinct patterns – proactive withholding, passive compliance, and strategic silence; and (4) consequences encompass diminished psychological well-being and professional development for individuals, reduced innovation and decision-making effectiveness within organizations, and impediments to broader societal progress toward gender equality. These dimensions collectively form a “gendered silence ecosystem”, revealing silence – both a symptom and a sustainer of systemic gender disparities – as a sustainability challenge that undermines gender equality. By moving beyond static and homogeneous perspectives, this study highlights workplace silence among women faculty not merely as withdrawal, but as an adaptive negotiation strategy within gendered power structures. Silencing of women in academia is not just a localized issue but part of a broader challenge to sustainable social progress. The conclusions offer significant implications for developing more supportive policies for women faculty, fostering inclusive academic cultures, and advancing gender equality in higher education, thereby contributing to the gender-just sustainability of female academic staff in the Global South.