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Portrait Lisa Eklund. Photo: Emma Lord.

Lisa Eklund

Associate Professor | Senior Lecturer

Portrait Lisa Eklund. Photo: Emma Lord.

Marriage squeeze and mate selection – Analysing the ecology of choice and implications for social policy in China

Author

  • Lisa Eklund

Summary, in English

The marriage squeeze in China, whereby the sex ratio imbalance leaves many males without a marriage partner, is not only about numbers, but also about how the institution of marriage is socially, economically, and politically underpinned. This paper uses the concept of ecology of choice in mate selection to demonstrate how different social processes and practices have ramifications on who can marry, who they can marry, and under what circumstances. It points to the historical and cultural practices of patrilineage, hypergamy, and concubinage, which contributed to a marriage squeeze long before the sex ratio at birth became an issue. It also examines how the policies of the Chinese Communist Party have affected social institutions related to marriage, reinforcing the marriage squeeze, and discusses the implications of this.

Department/s

  • Sociology

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

62-69

Publication/Series

Economic and Political Weekly

Volume

48

Issue

35

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Economic and Political Weekly

Topic

  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Anthropology, Demography and Criminology)

Keywords

  • ecology of choice
  • mate selection
  • sex ratio
  • marriage squeeze
  • social policy
  • China
  • sociologi
  • sociology

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0012-9976