Elderly Care, Intergenerational Relationships and Social Change in Rural China

This book investigates how rapid socio-political-economic change in China since 1949 has affected intergenerational relationships and practices in rural areas, specifically the care provided to elderly parents by their adult children. It focuses on the lived experiences of rural villagers and their perceptions of the impact of these socio-political changes on intergenerational relationships, care of the elderly, family cohesion, and the traditional value of filial piety. It notably considers the importance of filial piety as a dominant family value, the conflict between strong family bonds and growing desires for individuality and autonomy, the prevalence of migrant work among adult children and the diversification of intergenerational practices, alongside the need for national policy and services development for residential and community-based aged care in rural China.

Provides new insights about the effects of China's rapid socio-economic-political changes on family relations and intergenerational practices in China, through the application of new theoretical approaches Includes a large amount of detailed interview data from more than 70 villagers/migrant workers in Henan Province, China Sheds new light on the challenges of caring for elderly relatives in the context of the rise of migrant work and the absence of adult children from the village

Autorentext
Fang Cao currently teaches Chinese at La Trobe University, Australia. She completed her PhD studies in 2017 from La Trobe University and her research focuses on eldercare and local communities in China.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. Setting the sceneDougou village.- 3. Cultural constructions of filialness.- 4. Parental duties: the burden of sons.- 5. Migrant work and economic change: effects on elderly care and intergenerational practices.- 6. The marginalisation of the rural elders.- 7. Caring for ageing parents in the migration era.- 8. Explaining family changes in rural China.- 9. Summary and implications.