Chinese individualization, revisited

Jack Barbalet*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

    24 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The article critically examines the application of the individualization thesis to China. Factors presented in support of the case for Chinese individualization are shown to be either ambiguous or, on examination, counter-indicators. Family transformations from the Mao period to the present maintain family obligation. Labour migration, rather than leading to individualization expresses family commitment. Rights awareness similarly provides no clear evidence of individualization while rural and labour struggles around collective rights do not support the thesis.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)9-23
    Number of pages15
    JournalJournal of Sociology
    Volume52
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2016

    User-Defined Keywords

    • collective rights
    • family obligation
    • kinship and business
    • labour migration
    • party-state

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