NTU Sociology Seminar Series
Between Autonomy and Interdependence: The Changing Face of Parental Influence in Chinese Marriages
π
14 March 2025 | π 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM SGT
(Seminar time 11.00 am – 12.30 pm. Catered lunch provided after the talk)
π Nanyang Technological University (In-person only)
π€ Speaker: Dr. HU Shu (Singapore University of Social Sciences)
Join us for the NTU Sociology Seminar Series, where Dr. HU Shu will present her latest research on the evolving role of parents in Chinese marriage formation. Drawing on data from the 2006 and 2017 Chinese General Social Survey, her study examines how parental influence has shifted over the past seven decades amid China's rapid social, economic, and political transformations.
Contrary to the notion of a steady move toward youth autonomy, her findings reveal a complex pattern: while parental influence over spouse selection declined in the 1990s and 2000s, it persisted in the 2010s, with increasing parental financial support post-marriage. Factors such as gender, hukou status, education, and father’s political affiliation shape these intergenerational dynamics, underscoring their implications for family relationships and social inequality.
πΉ About the Speaker
Dr. HU Shu is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Sociology Programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). She earned her PhD in Sociology from the National University of Singapore. Her research explores intergenerational relationships, gender, and social inequality, with a focus on family dynamics, time use, and divorce patterns in Asia.
π’ This is an in-person event open to faculty, students, and researchers interested in family sociology, intergenerational studies, and contemporary Chinese society.
π½ Catered lunch will be provided after the talk.
We look forward to your participation! π