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Only Hope: Coming of Age Under China’s One-Child Policy
Abstract
The first generation of children born under China's one-child family policy is now reaching adulthood. What are these children like? What are their values, goals, and interests? What kinds of relationships do they have with their families? This is the first in-depth study to analyze what it is like to grow up as the state-appointed vanguard of modernization. Based on surveys and ethnographic research in China, where the author lived with teenage only children and observed their homes and classrooms for 27 months between 1997 and 2002, the book explores the social, economic, and psychological consequences of the government's decision to accelerate the fertility transition. Only Hope shows how the one-child policy has largely succeeded in its goals, but with unintended consequences. Only children are expected to be the primary providers of support and care for their retired parents, grandparents, and parents-in-law, and only a very lucrative position will allow them to provide for so many dependents. Many only children aspire to elite status even though few can attain it, and such aspirations lead to increased stress and competition, as well as intense parental involvement.
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In the citing paper
“Without siblings, these women have become the sole beneficiaries of family investments (Fong, 2004; Kim et al., 2018).”
From Virtues or Talent among Brotherless Daughters: A Study of How Patriarchal Gender Ideals Affect Gender Role Attitudes among Women from the One-Child Generation in China (2024) · cites this paper as Fong, 2004
In the citing paper
“with the number of children restricted to only one, urban families began to treat their single girls as if they were sons.”
From The Social and Sociological Consequences of China's One-Child Policy (2021) · cites this paper as Fong 2004
In the citing paper
“Many urban couples concentrated their resources to invest in the educations of their only children, regardless of gender (Fong 2004, Tsui & Rich 2002, Lu & Treiman 2008).”
From The Social and Sociological Consequences of China's One-Child Policy (2021) · cites this paper as Fong 2004
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Sorted by citations
Jia, Y., Way, N., Ling, G., Yoshikawa, H., Chen, X., Hughes, D. L., Ke, X., & Lu, Z. (2009) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01348.x · Cited by 439
Choosing a higher education study abroad destination
Bodycott, P. (2009) · Journal of Research in International Education · doi:10.1177/1475240909345818 · Cited by 369
Why Are Chinese Mothers More Controlling Than American Mothers? “My Child Is My Report Card”
Ng, F. F., Pomerantz, E. M., & Deng, C. (2013) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/cdev.12102 · Cited by 356
Jamieson, L. (2011) · Sociological Research Online · doi:10.5153/sro.2497 · Cited by 343
Intergenerational Intimacy and Descending Familism in Rural North China
Yan, Y. (2016) · American Anthropologist · doi:10.1111/aman.12527 · Cited by 326
Metadata
- Authors
- Fong, V. L.
- Corresponding author
- Fong, Vanessa L.
- Venue
- Stanford University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Stanford University Press
- Published
- 2004-02-17
- OpenAlex
- W4301657077
- Cited by
- 607
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 44 · 2025: 60 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 85 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 7.76
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Stanford University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance
- Keywords
- one-child policy, only children, fertility transition, family relationships, intergenerational support, elderly care, social competition, parental involvement, youth values, China
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