Events

The purpose of this conference is to promote a better understanding of the puzzling discrepancies between family attitudes and behavior in Asia: when family behavior is fast “modernized” and “westernized” but people seem to still think “traditionally” and “Asian”. The historical profamily values that endorse universal and early marriage and children are still prevalent in various Asian societies. Yet, dramatic demographic transformation is under way: fertility level rapidly decreasing to close or below replacement level. In societies like Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, fertility has reached the lowest low level in the world; age at first marriage has also increased greatly with “effective singlehood” in some Asian societies even longer than in Western societies. Further, family behavior is not all homogenous: cohabitation and extramarital fertility are relatively rare in most Asian countries although low fertility and late marriage are prevalent.

To understand the discrepancies, we should seek answers from Asian families embedded in the unique political, religious and cultural contexts in various Asian societies. The theme of this conference is consistent with Dr Christine Bachrach’s Presidential Address at the annual meeting of Population Association of America in New Orleans in 2013, which emphasizes incorporating both structure and culture when studying demographic outcomes and emphasizes the cultural understanding of patterns and commonality, and differences and tensions of demographic phenomena.

Therefore, this conference opens a forum to investigate the puzzles of “transformed behavior and lingering attitudes” regarding marriage and birth giving in Asia. Researchers from different continents gather to explore contradictions and consistencies between values, attitudes and behavior regarding family formation in Asia. More specifically, we examine clashes between local culture and western influences, between private and public spheres, between women’s personal development and cultural expectation upon them, between personal life and state, religion and existing social institutions. We scrutinize mechanisms that foster changes in family formation attitudes and behavior. We inspect commonalities and variations, and continuities and changes of Asian family patterns. Both quantitative and qualitative data are included in our investigation on family patterns and changes in Asia. We also hope through this forum we are able to  identify important topics and gaps and discuss the future directions in this field of study.

CONTACT DETAILS

Conference Convenor

Dr Yingchun JI
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
E| arijiy@nus.edu.sg

Secretariat

Miss Sharon ONG
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
E| arios@nus.edu.sg