Making Our Own Destiny: Single Women, Opportunity, and Family in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo

Single women in East Asia remain single into middle age and beyond, leading to a demographic transformation with profound implications for their societies. This well-researched book explores how single women attempt to take advantage of opportunities while navigating marriage and family expectations. It highlights the experiences of women embracing the joys of remaining single and offers an insightful glimpse into the future of urban families in an age of low fertility and long transitions into adulthood.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2022
Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press

In East Asia's largest cities, a significant number of women remain single into middle age and beyond, leading to a demographic transformation with far-reaching implications for their societies. These women, often labeled as "loser dogs" and "parasites" in Japan, "leftover women" in mainland China, and "single women" in Hong Kong, face widespread criticism for their perceived choosiness, selfishness, and independence. Drawing from ethnographic research and in-depth interviews with over a hundred single women residing in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, Making Our Own Destiny is the first comprehensive study to compare the perspectives and experiences of these single women living in these three dynamic cities, which are at the forefront of the region's movement toward later marriage and increasing singlehood.

This well-researched book delves into the intricate ways in which single women navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by their unique circumstances. Unlike their counterparts in Europe and North America, many single women in urban East Asia do not have romantic partners and, as a result, face unique challenges in fulfilling their desires for marriage and family. What do these women want? How do they see themselves and their place in society? What are their values, goals, and dreams? As they strive to balance opportunities with societal expectations, single women in urban East Asia find themselves deeply entangled in the caregiving systems of their communities.

In Shanghai, author Lynne Nakano observes single women rushing to marry in order to enter intergenerational relationships of care. In Hong Kong, these women carefully consider the risks of marriage as they prioritize the needs of their natal and extended families. In Tokyo, many single women aspire to marry and start families, while others find fulfillment in assuming elder caregiver roles within their families. Nakano's intimate portrayals offer a nuanced and empathetic understanding of the complex lives of single women in urban East Asia, shedding light on their meticulously planned strategies and unwavering determination to create their own destinies.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780824889968