Waves Under the Surface: The LGBTQ NGO field and its cultural changes in China

How to perceive the location of LGBTQ NGOs in the NGO sector in a heteronormative state? How do LGBTQ NGOs in an authoritarian regime survive and make a change? To answer these questions, I draw on field theory to analyze the LGBTQ NGO field in China. The interdependent and nested relationship between the LGBTQ NGO field and other fields makes LGBTQ NGOs vulnerable to exogenous shocks. The presence of the representative organs of the state in multiple fields also contributes to field instability since the actions of the state are hard to predict. By providing empirical studies of the experiences of LGBTQ NGOs in the unstable field, I find out they are able to carry out cultural changes. This thesis aims to advance the understanding of the field ecology in authoritarian contexts with the presence of strong states as well as the cultural change potential of the NGOs in the field.