Involution

A first-hand account of the youth unemployment uprisings that swept China in 2022

Involution is the first book to present a detailed account of how the people coming of age in China’s post-miracle moment navigate job searches, exploitation, educational competition, and familial pressures. Using interviews with young people who participated in the 2022 protests against China’s extreme youth unemployment, this fascinating book shows how people in their early 20s struggle to survive while trying to maintain their dignity, sense of self, and agency amid economic crisis. Based on extensive research carried out in various cities across China, the Gonglao Collective presents a clear portrait of a new generation wracked by anxiety, ennui, and myriad social grievances.