Official Discourse on Family and Fatherhood in Post-1949 China

Tingting Tan

doi:10.17583/mcs.2020.4943

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate three main research questions regarding the history of family and fatherhood in China since 1949: a) What 'ideal father' has the party-state sought to promote at different times? b) How consistent have official messages been? What have been the key shifts in official discourse on family and fatherhood since the Mao era? c) Why have these shifts occurred? Analysis of selected policy statements and print media reveal four main phases, with distinct findings in each. During the period of collectivization (1950s to 70s), the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted the nationalist model of parenting. Fathers were explicitly suggested to devote themselves to economic development. During the period of de-collectivization (late 1970s to mid-1990s), CPC adopted an individualist model of parenting. There was increasing encouragement for father's participant in child education. During the period of marketization (mid 1990s to 2011), CPC promoted a state-supported model of parenting. Father's active participation in household duties was more expected. During the period of individualization (2012 to the present), China set up community model of parenting. Father's dual role of nurturer and provider is more emphasized.

Highlights

Across the modern world, socio-political change has contributed to transformation of fathers’ roles and of related official discourse
Four key phases of official discourse on family and fatherhood are revealed: during the period of collectivization, a nationalist model dominated, with fathers exhorted to devote themselves to economic development; during the post-Mao period of de-collectivization, an individualist model of parenting was promoted, with more intimate involvement in children’s education encouraged; during the period of marketization from the mid-1990s, a state-supported model of parenting was promoted, ‘envisaging fathers’ more active participation in household duties
This paper provides an explanation of the periodization of official discourse on fatherhood based on the continuous official historical documents and mass media data in post-1949

Summary

Introduction

Socio-political change has contributed to transformation of fathers’ roles and of related official discourse. Four key phases of official discourse on family and fatherhood are revealed: during the period of collectivization, a nationalist model dominated, with fathers exhorted to devote themselves to economic development; during the post-Mao period of de-collectivization, an individualist model of parenting was promoted, with more intimate involvement in children’s education encouraged; during the period of marketization from the mid-1990s, a state-supported model of parenting was promoted, ‘envisaging fathers’ more active participation in household duties. Como muchos estudios sobre la paternidad se centran en contextos euroamericanos, hay una limitada literatura científica que explore el discurso chino relacionado con las dinámicas familiares y los roles de género, especialmente desde una perspectiva histórica. Confucian ethics underpin the long-established popular images of parents, where the father takes charge of supporting the family, while the mother is responsible for household duties at home. Unconscious gender ideology pressures all families to follow the traditional values and expectations

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Conclusion