The Journal of Politics· 2026Q1
Causes and Consequences of Gendered Bureaucratic Recruitment: A Study of China
- 1citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Chinese civil service recruitment practices favor male candidates, reducing the qualified applicant pool by 40-45% and lowering candidate quality by 4-5%, according to original administrative data.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Chinese civil service recruitment exhibits widespread gender bias.
- Increased supply of qualified female applicants led to male-preferring recruitment practices.
- Male-preferring practices reduced the candidate pool by 40-45%.
- Candidate quality decreased by 4-5% due to these practices.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
While the causes and consequences of gender bias are well documented, it remains unclear whether existing theories explain gender dynamics in China's civil service. This study addresses this gap by leveraging original administrative data from the Chinese National Civil Service Examination. The findings show widespread gender bias, with an increased supply of qualified female applicants in prior years prompting hiring authorities, particularly at lower levels of government, to adopt recruitment practices favoring male candidates. These malepreferred practices significantly reshape the candidate pool, reducing its size by 40-45% and lowering candidate quality by 4-5%. These findings deepen our understanding of women's persistent underrepresentation in the Chinese bureaucracy and highlight the substantial costs associated with gendered recruitment practices.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The Journal of Politics, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Gender Studies
Gender StudiesSocial Sciences