From the foundation of the People's Republic of China (in 1949) until now, Chinese women's social status has been improved and their identities have been shifted with the changes in the social system. However, in the new century, they are experiencing a hard time in balancing careers and domestic work. Although Chinese women proactively contributed to the nation's formation, construction and development, the traditional gender norms still confine women's roles as "ideal mothers". Through in-depth interviews, this study explores how motherhood is understood by highly educated female faculty with leadership positions within a higher education institution in China. By analyzing faculty mothers' experiences and perspectives of motherhood, the findings investigate how motherhood as a negotiated identity is constructed and reconstructed by the social, cultural, economic and political context. Motherhood is understood as a process of becoming and evolving, and not something that is static, despite being shaped by the broader social structures and gendered ideologies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]