In the early years of the People's Republic of China, the Communist Party sought to transform gender relations, but those gains have been steadily eroded in recent decades during China's transition to a post-socialist era. In fact, women in China have experienced a dramatic rollback of rights and gains relative to men. In Leftover Women, Leta Hong Fincher exposes shocking levels of structural discrimination against women and highlights the broader damage this has caused to China's economy, politics, and development.
 
Drawing on cutting-edge data from a Sina Weibo survey of some three hundred men and women as well as in-depth interviews with both men and women in China over several years, Leftover Women debunks several major myths about the status of women in China's post-socialist period.  This reprint edition of the critically acclaimed book Leftover Women offers a unique, inside view of urban, professional women in China's emerging middle class and provides an insightful analysis of Chinese society today.