Drawing on participant observations, in-depth interviews, and content analysis of online materials, Lai investigates the role of individual choice, relationships, and institutions in unmarried Chinese women’s decisions to terminate their pregnancies.
Where many previous studies have focused on abortion in China as a state-mandated procedure to enforce the one-child policy, Lai looks at a new era, where abortion is primarily based on individuals’ decisions. While young women in China enjoy greater freedom to pursue their personal, sexual, and reproductive aspirations, their autonomy remains constrained by structural inequalities of gender, class, and migration status, which are reproduced through the intersection of state policies, market forces, and patriarchal family culture. In this book, Lai recounts the stories and presents the voices of unmarried young adult women, and documents the impact of sweeping socioeconomic transformation on their reproductive experiences in contemporary China amidst the ending of the one-child policy.
Essential reading for scholars of Chinese society and of family and gender studies globally.
By:
Ruby Lai (Lingnan University Hong Kong)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Weight: 370g
ISBN: 9781032286525
ISBN 10: 1032286520
Series: Routledge Contemporary China Series
Pages: 188
Publication Date: 27 May 2024
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
List of figures List of tables Acknowledgments 1 Introduction Premarital Abortion as the Subject of Analysis Constructing an Analytical Framework for the Study of Premarital Abortion in China Studying Premarital Abortion in China The Research Site Characteristics of Informants Ethical Considerations The Organization of the Book 2 Premarital Abortion and Reproductive Politics in China From Taboo to Social Problem State Policies and Premarital Abortion Intimacy, Marriage, Family, and Premarital Abortion Contextualizing Premarital Abortion in the East Asian Demographic Transition The Present Framework 3 The “Complete Life” in Reality: The Decision-Making of Premarital Abortion Self-Governing Reproductive Agency in the Making The “Choice” of Abortion Postponing Familial Role Rejecting a Hasty Marriage Fear of Being a Single Mother Pursuing a “Nested Birth” Preparing for a Quality Child Conclusion 4 The Intimate Trial: Couple Interaction during Premarital Abortion Normalizing Sex, Pragmatizing Love Seeking a Kaopu Man “Authentic” Sex and “Somewhat Poisonous” Pill: Couple’s Contraceptive Use Abortion as the Intimate Trial Immediate Reaction to Pregnancy Abortion Decision-Making Assistance in Medical Procedures Caretaking Financial Contribution Rationalizing Love: Women’s Reflections on Intimate Relationships after an Abortion Conclusion 5 The Bonded Daughter: Intergenerational Dynamics and Premarital Abortion Parental Expectations of a Daughter’s Future Husband and Marriage Partner’s Socioeconomic Capacity Geographical Proximity Partner’s Personal Qualities Familial Reputation Intergenerational Interactions during an Abortion Excluding Parents from Their Abortion Referencing Perceived Parental Views Consulting Parents Conforming to Parental Intervention Conclusion 6 Articulating Abortion: Women’s Post-Abortion Experiences Articulating Complex Emotions Navigating the Reflexive Self after Abortion Infertility Panic and the Damaged Body (De)personifying the Fetus, Regulating Emotions Reframing Responsibility Contesting the Meaning of “Rights” Reclaiming Reputation Conclusion 7 Humanized Care in Practice: Abortion Provisions in China The Emergence of Humanized Care in China Abortion Services in Three Medical Contexts Basic Care in Public Hospitals Commodified Care: For-Profit Private Hospitals Patient-Centered Care: Community Clinic Conclusion 8 Premarital Abortion and Reproductive Justice in China: Now and the Future Premarital Abortion in the Era of Demographic Challenges The Future of Reproductive Justice in China Appendix Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Women (N = 62) Bibliography Index
Ruby Y. S. Lai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at Lingnan University, specializing in gender, family, and reproduction.
