Why is Son preference so persistent in East and South Asia? a cross-country study of China, India and the Republic of Korea

Authors: Monica Das Gupta¹; Jiang Zhenghua²; Li Bohua³; Xie Zhenming³; Woojin Chung⁴; Bae Hwa-Ok⁴

Source: Journal of Development Studies, Volume 40, Number 2, December 2003 , pp. 153-187(35)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $50.43 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Son preference has persisted in the face of sweeping economic and social changes in the countries studied here. We attribute this persistence to their similar family systems, which generate strong disincentives to raise daughters - whether or not their marriages require dowries - while valuing adult women's contributions to the household. Urbanisation, female education and employment can only slowly change these incentives without more direct efforts by the state and civil society to increase the flexibility of the kinship system such that daughters and sons can be perceived as being more equally valuable. Much can be done to accelerate this process through social movements, legislation and the mass media.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220380412331293807

Affiliations: 1: Development Research Group, The World Bank, Washington DC 20433, USA 2: Interdisciplinary Research Center of the Academic Sciences of China, Professor, Population and Economy Research Institute; Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, and Vice-Chairman, PRC National People's Congress 3: China Population Information and Research Center, Beijing 4: Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Seoul

Publication date: 2003-12-01