Sara Liao Luwei Rose Luqiu #MeToo in China: The Dynamic of Digital Activism against Sexual Assault and Harassment in Higher Education T his study focuses on activism against sexual misconduct in higher educa- tion, striving to reveal the dynamics of digital activism for feminist causes in China. The high-profile #MeToo movement, in which women are in- creasingly speaking out about sexual assault and harassment on social media, has swept through the world. In China, the public raged over multiple disclo- sures of sexual scandals in nonprofit circles, the media industry, and higher ed- ucation (Kuo 2018). Allegations of sexual misconduct were first disclosed through social media and involved a variety of stakeholders, including individ- ual citizens (students, teachers, activists, and other social onlookers), univer- sities, mainstream news media, and the government. The internet and social media have served as platforms and sources of mobilization, allowing alterna- tive voices to be heard and promoting awareness and civic engagement. Yet not every case in China’s digital advocacy against sexual harassment has led to the kinds of positive change desired by activists, such as a rise in social aware- ness, open and rational public discussion, legal and regulatory follow-ups, and policy advancements like the establishment of systemic antiharassment mech- anisms and the ability to hold individuals legally liable for sexual misconduct. In China, digital media has lowered the barriers to collective action for a vari- ety of causes. However, grassroots activism must parley with different state in- stitutions and system insiders to achieve its aims. This study makes a significant contribution in tackling the emerging area of digital feminist activism considering the sociocultural and political con- texts of China. We emphasize sexual misconduct in higher education because this represents a unique case study to explore power struggles and gender pol- itics in society at large. Sexual misconduct in higher education shatters the layman’s notion of universities as pure and sacred institutions of knowledge. The fact that the aura of the ivory tower can be destroyed by insiders lends newsworthiness to such stories for journalists and purveyors of gossip, which facilitates the circulation of #MeToo stories from students (current and for- mer) at different universities. In addition, sexual assault and harassment in higher education reflect not only the patriarchal hegemony of society but also Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, volume 47, number 3, Spring 2022. © 2022 The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. Published by The University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1086/717712