Between rebellion and compliance: Discursive practices of 985 waste youth in China
Published online on November 26, 2025
Abstract
Discourse & Society, Ahead of Print.
During the pandemic, students from elite Chinese universities (Project 985), facing failure or unemployment, began labelling themselves as985 waste. Scholars debate whether it signals rebellion against meritocracy or merely a stage of youth ...
During the pandemic, students from elite Chinese universities (Project 985), facing failure or unemployment, began labelling themselves as985 waste. Scholars debate whether it signals rebellion against meritocracy or merely a stage of youth ...