Obligated to Care: Intergenerational Family Relations in Contemporary China
Summary
What This Article Is About
The Sociological Review announces a new monograph examining how intergenerational family relations function in contemporary China. Guest edited by Xiaoying Qi and Jack Barbalet, the volume addresses a fundamental premise: while the family remains the principal institution of Chinese society—as true today as in traditional times—the underlying reasons have fundamentally changed. Professor Barbalet’s introduction provides historical and conceptual frameworks for understanding Chinese family structures, deliberately dispelling misunderstandings about traditional family structure and the one-child policy while emphasizing how socio-economic class differences create varying patterns of family life.
The monograph’s eleven chapters, contributed by international scholars using diverse methodologies, explore five thematic areas: the eclipse of tradition in family structure and relations, grandparental contributions to family labor migration, queering intergenerational family relations, positive and negative consequences of family life on children, and the impact of family social capital on intergenerational care provision. Topics range from neo-familism and long-distance grandparenting to juvenile delinquency, LGBTQ+ approaches to family obligations, rural versus urban family structures, childrearing practices, bridewealth dynamics, and women’s evolving economic and social status. Together, the contributions offer what Barbalet describes as “novel perspectives, new data and arguments” that deliver a comprehensive account of intergenerational family relations in present-day China.
Key Points
Main Takeaways
Continuity Through Change
The family remains China’s principal institution, but the reasons for its centrality have transformed between traditional and contemporary society.
Correcting Common Misconceptions
The introduction explicitly addresses misunderstandings about traditional family structure and the one-child policy’s actual effects on family dynamics.
Class Differences Matter
Socio-economic class creates significantly different patterns of family life, a factor the monograph underscores throughout its analysis.
Grandparental Labor Migration Roles
Grandparents play crucial roles in supporting family labor migration through childcare across distance, both within China and internationally.
Queering Family Obligations
LGBTQ+ individuals navigate intergenerational family relationships through strategies like strategic non-disclosure as forms of affective care.
Comprehensive Scholarly Approach
International contributors employ diverse methodologies to examine everything from bridewealth dynamics to juvenile delinquency and food practices.
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
Obligation Persists Through Transformation
The central thesis is that while the Chinese family remains the principal social institution, its contemporary significance derives from fundamentally different reasons than in traditional society. The monograph examines how intergenerational obligations—captured in the title “Obligated to Care”—persist even as economic reforms, demographic changes like the one-child policy, internal and international migration, and evolving social attitudes reshape family structures. This continuity-through-transformation challenges simplistic narratives of either unchanging tradition or complete modernization, instead revealing how obligation adapts to new contexts while remaining central to Chinese family relations across socio-economic classes, geographic locations, and even within LGBTQ+ communities.
Purpose
To Present Multifaceted Sociological Analysis
The announcement serves multiple purposes: introducing a major academic publication, establishing its intellectual framework and corrective ambitions, and signaling the breadth of its scholarly contributions. By emphasizing that the monograph “aims to dispel misunderstandings” about traditional structures and policy impacts while highlighting class differences, the announcement positions the work as both corrective and expansive. It targets an academic audience interested in Chinese sociology while making the research accessible to broader readers through its clear articulation of themes. The mention of launch events at major conferences signals the work’s significance within sociological and Chinese studies communities, while the availability of open-access chapters suggests a commitment to wider dissemination.
Structure
Opening Thesis → Thematic Overview → Chapter Catalog
The announcement opens with a provocative framing statement about the family’s enduring centrality with transformed meanings, immediately establishing intellectual stakes. It then introduces the editors and their credentials, lending authority before presenting Professor Barbalet’s introduction as providing historical/conceptual frameworks and corrective interventions. The middle section organizes the eleven chapters into five thematic clusters, moving from tradition’s eclipse through grandparenting and queer relations to children’s experiences and social capital. This thematic grouping reveals the volume’s analytical architecture. The structure concludes with logistical details about launch events and purchasing, followed by a complete chapter listing with authors—this catalog format signals comprehensive scholarly coverage while allowing readers to identify specific interests within the broader framework.
Tone
Scholarly, Authoritative & Accessible
The tone balances academic authority with accessibility, using specialized terminology (neo-familism, family social capital, queering) while explaining the monograph’s scope in clear prose. The opening quotation establishes intellectual gravitas before the announcement adopts a more straightforward descriptive voice. Phrases like “novel perspectives, new data and arguments” signal scholarly rigor without excessive jargon. The inclusive language—”engaging reinterpretations,” “welcoming account”—suggests the work is formidable yet approachable, inviting diverse readers rather than gatekeeping. The enumeration of topics (from bridewealth to juvenile delinquency to LGBTQ+ youth transitions) demonstrates breadth without overwhelming, while the consistent emphasis on intergenerational relations provides conceptual unity. Overall, the tone conveys serious scholarship presented accessibly for both specialists and educated general readers.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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A contemporary resurgence or reinvention of family-centered values and structures, particularly in societies undergoing modernization; the renewed emphasis on family bonds and obligations in new economic and social contexts.
“The 11 chapters offer insights on issues ranging from neo-familism and grandparenting across distance to family strains and juvenile delinquency.”
The ways of forming or understanding concepts; theoretical frameworks and mental models used to organize and interpret phenomena in research or analysis.
“Contributors draw on diverse methodologies and conceptualisations in exploring facets of five themes.”
Money, property, or goods paid by a groom or his family to the bride’s family as part of marriage arrangements in many cultures; also known as bride price.
“Owing the daughter-in-law: Bridewealth and the dynamics of intergenerational care in rural China.”
Close in space, time, or relationship; situated very near or next to something; having immediate relevance or direct connection.
“Descending asymmetry in proximate, mobile and digital care: Chinese older people grandparenting across distance.”
Relating to moods, feelings, and emotions; involving or arising from emotional responses rather than purely rational or practical considerations.
“Not coming out as affective care: LGBTQ+ individuals navigating the feeling landscape of intergenerational relationships.”
A person who is the only child in their family; in the context of China, often refers to individuals born under the one-child policy.
“Singleton status of parents and intergenerational childcare collaboration in urban Chinese families.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to the article, the family remains the principal institution of Chinese society for the same reasons as in traditional China.
2What specific aim does Professor Barbalet’s introduction pursue regarding traditional family structure and the one-child policy?
3Which sentence best captures the monograph’s distinctive scholarly contribution?
4Based on the article, determine whether each statement is True or False.
The monograph includes chapters examining how LGBTQ+ individuals navigate intergenerational family relationships.
Grandparents’ roles in supporting family labor migration is one of the five major themes explored in the collection.
All eleven chapters in the monograph are available through open access.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5What can be reasonably inferred about why the monograph emphasizes socio-economic class differences in family patterns?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The phrase “eclipse of tradition” refers to how traditional family structures and relations have declined in prominence or been overshadowed by new patterns in contemporary China. However, this doesn’t mean tradition has disappeared entirely—rather, traditional elements are being transformed, reinterpreted, or replaced by new forms. The monograph examines this process as one of five major themes, suggesting that while aspects of traditional family organization may have been eclipsed, family obligations themselves persist in evolved forms. This theme likely explores the tension between continuity and change in Chinese family life as economic reforms, urbanization, and demographic shifts reshape how families function.
The chapter title “Not coming out as affective care” suggests that remaining closeted can be understood as an expression of care for family members rather than simply fear or self-protection. In Chinese families where filial obligations remain strong and family harmony is highly valued, LGBTQ+ individuals may choose not to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to spare parents distress, preserve family reputation, or maintain intergenerational relationships. This reframes non-disclosure not as deception but as a form of emotional labor that prioritizes family members’ wellbeing—what the chapter describes as navigating “the feeling landscape of intergenerational relationships.” It represents a complex negotiation between personal identity and family obligations distinctive to cultures with strong intergenerational bonds.
Traditional Chinese grandparenting typically involved co-residence or close geographic proximity, with grandparents living in multigenerational households or nearby. Grandparenting “across distance” refers to situations where labor migration—both within China (rural-to-urban) and internationally—has physically separated grandparents from grandchildren, yet grandparents continue providing care through various means. The chapter examining “proximate, mobile and digital care” suggests grandparents adapt by offering financial support, temporary co-residence during critical periods, and digital communication. This represents a significant transformation: intergenerational care obligations persist, but their practical implementation has evolved to accommodate geographic separation created by economic opportunities and migration patterns that characterize contemporary China.
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This article is rated Intermediate because while it deals with specialized academic content—sociology, family studies, Chinese society—it presents information accessibly without requiring extensive prior knowledge. The vocabulary includes some technical terms (intergenerational, monograph, neo-familism, bridewealth) but these are generally explained through context or straightforward usage. The structure is clear and hierarchical, moving from broad themes to specific chapter descriptions. An educated general reader interested in sociology or Chinese society can follow the argument without specialized training, though familiarity with academic publication formats (monographs, guest editors, open access) helps. The intermediate rating reflects this balance: substantive scholarly content presented with clarity for readers beyond the immediate discipline.
Xiaoying Qi is Associate Professor in Sociology at Australian Catholic University, while Jack Barbalet is Professorial Fellow in Sociology at the University of Melbourne. Their positions at major Australian universities positions them within the international sociology community while their focus on China suggests specialized expertise in Chinese social structures. Australia’s geographic proximity to China and significant Chinese diaspora community makes Australian universities important centers for Chinese studies. Their selection as guest editors for The Sociological Review’s Monograph series—a prestigious, long-running publication—indicates recognition within the field. Barbalet’s authorship of the introduction’s historical and conceptual framework suggests deep knowledge of Chinese family sociology across both traditional and reform eras, qualifying them to synthesize diverse contributions into a coherent scholarly collection.
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