Postgraduate research students

Congwei is a PhD student in sociology starting september 2022. His current research topic is the experiences of surrogacy arrangements and parenting children born through surrogacy among Chinese gay men.

In January 2021, news of Chinese actress Shuang Zheng abandoning her two surrogate children born in the United States after breaking up with her boyfriend Heng Zhang generated over 4.2 billion views on the Chinese social media platform, Sina Weibo. This event brought surrogacy to the forefront of public discourse among Chinese netizens.

Surrogacy in China remains a contentious issue as it operates in a legal gray area with only some administrative regulations governing its practice. Moreover, surrogacy is inextricably linked to China's fertility policy. Although China had previously attempted to prohibit surrogacy in any form through the Amendment (Draft) of the Population and Family Planning Law, the passed "Population and Family Planning Law" removed the relevant clauses of "prohibition of surrogacy". Despite increasing acceptance of same-sex relationships in China, LGBTQ+ individuals still face significant legal and social barriers to forming families through adoption or surrogacy, as same-sex marriage is not recognised in China.. 

The Chinese government has always had an ambiguous attitude towards surrogacy due to declining fertility rates, and many people have made surrogacy arrangements in countries such as China Underground, the United States, and Georgia. According to the data of a non-government LGBT organization in China in 2015, they have helped more than 400 LGBT people carry out surrogacy, of which 90% are gay.

Researching socially marginalized and hard-to-reach populations poses unique challenges, especially in contexts where social stigmas and legal constraints are prevalent. In China, where cultural attitudes towards homosexuality are conservative and restrictive, this study explores the experiences of surrogacy arrangements and parenting children born through surrogacy among Chinese gay men.Why surrogacy? How are genes selected? How do Chinese gay fathers get their children's hukou? How do they cope with the difficulties of the parenting process? ... This research not only addresses significant gaps in academic literature but also seeks to inform more inclusive social policies and practices.

• Dr Matthew Waites
• Dr Alan Brown
• Professor Jane Duckett

Zheng, C. (2023). Surrogacy research among gay men in China. Futuring Outside the Box: New Dynamics in Media, Communication and Sociology - PGR Conference. 15th June 2023. University of Leicester. 

Congwei is contributing to the MSc in Media, Culture & Society programme for the 2024-2025 academic year, which includes marking and leading seminars.

2024-2025 Semester 1: Media Research Methods SOCIO5122 (Marking)

2024-2025 Semester 2: Transformations in MCS 2: Contemporary Debates and Issues SPS5056 (Marking & Leading seminars)

Congwei is the President of British Postgraduate Network for Chinese Studies (BPCS) in 2024-2025. For more information about BPCS, please see here.

Before coming to Glasgow, Congwei obtained MA in Social Media and Social Research with Merit and BA in Radio and Television Editing and Directing.

In addition to ongoing Family and Gender studies, Congwei is also interested in Social Media Studies and Migration Studies.