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: Paperback / softback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 31 December 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 consequences 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 offers a comprehensive comparison of their perspectives and experiences. This groundbreaking study is the first to examine the lives of single women in these three dynamic cities, which are at the forefront of the region's shift towards later marriage and increasing singlehood.

The book delves into the challenges and opportunities faced by single women in urban East Asia. Unlike their counterparts in Europe and North America, many single women in these cities 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?

Through intimate portrayals, the book sheds light on the complex web of relationships and responsibilities that single women navigate in their societies. In Shanghai, author Lynne Nakano explores how single women rush to marry in order to enter intergenerational relationships of care. In Hong Kong, the women consider the risks of marriage while tending to the needs of their natal and extended families. In Tokyo, many single women hope to marry and have children, while others find a place for themselves as elder caregivers within their families.

Nakanos work not only exposes the meticulous plans and strategies that single women employ to navigate their lives but also highlights the deep-rooted caregiving systems that exist in these societies. The book underscores the importance of understanding the experiences and perspectives of single women in order to promote inclusivity and equality in society. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a more nuanced understanding of singlehood, Making Our Own Destiny contributes to a broader conversation about gender, family, and social change in East Asia and beyond.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780824891985