Sustained large-scale migration has been an important structural force bringing about change in the Chinese peasant family. The de-localization resulting from population movement has eroded and undermined the patriarc...Sustained large-scale migration has been an important structural force bringing about change in the Chinese peasant family. The de-localization resulting from population movement has eroded and undermined the patriarchal family system, with its high degree of overlap between kin-based and place-based ties. The resultant changes in the family institution, however, represent not just a de-traditionalization, but also at the same time a process of reconstructing tradition. The continuation and reconstruction of the patriarchal family in the midst of deconstruction is a result of the interplay of institutional constraints, market dominance and the patrilineal and patriarchal system＇s own need for continued authority. This changing family pattern not only provides a low-cost basis for the survival and development of migrant workers ＂working in the city but rooted in the countryside,＂ but also, through its peculiarly flexible adaptability, serves as a buffer for dealing with contradictions and conflicts arising from changes in rural society and plays a role in relieving social tensions under specific historical conditions.展开更多
文摘Sustained large-scale migration has been an important structural force bringing about change in the Chinese peasant family. The de-localization resulting from population movement has eroded and undermined the patriarchal family system, with its high degree of overlap between kin-based and place-based ties. The resultant changes in the family institution, however, represent not just a de-traditionalization, but also at the same time a process of reconstructing tradition. The continuation and reconstruction of the patriarchal family in the midst of deconstruction is a result of the interplay of institutional constraints, market dominance and the patrilineal and patriarchal system＇s own need for continued authority. This changing family pattern not only provides a low-cost basis for the survival and development of migrant workers ＂working in the city but rooted in the countryside,＂ but also, through its peculiarly flexible adaptability, serves as a buffer for dealing with contradictions and conflicts arising from changes in rural society and plays a role in relieving social tensions under specific historical conditions.
