Emerging Dimensions of Marriage in Asia

Abstract

This article contextualizes and highlights findings from the 14 articles included in this special issue that aims to examine emerging dimensions in Asia. The articles cover a wide range of topics and all make an original contribution to our understanding of different aspects of marriage in the region. The vast diversity in East, Southeast, and South Asia continues to be observed ranging from universal marriage and the high prevalence of child marriages in some countries to high singlehood rates in others. This issue explores the extent to which the “second demographic transition” occurs in Asia, documenting the rising cohabitation, singlehood, and divorce in the Philippines, China, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Transnational marriages in Singapore and South Korea and remarriage patterns in Thailand are also examined. The rise in women’s education remains a key determinant of union formation behavior empowering women in making decisions about whether, when, and to whom they marry.