The significance of subtle ways: navigating femininities in high schools of Taiwan

Children’s geographers have contributed to the theorisation of school space as a ‘geographical accomplishment’. The crucial role of school space in (re)producing social identities such as gender in the Global North has been discussed. However, empirical research which explores young femininities in East Asia is scant. This paper demonstrates that the contestation of femininities in high schools of Taiwan is manifested in subtle ways. This research examines qualitatively the forms of contested femininities, the significance of peer culture, and the flexible nature of school space. The analysis demonstrates that singular understanding of the spatiality of school cannot fully explain the complicated web of entwined micro spaces involved in the shaping of young femininities. In conclusion, this research highlights the dynamics between school space and young femininities, and emphasises the value of studying East Asians’ contextualised experiences for better understanding of young femininities.