Aspirations of Young Adults in Urban Asia: Values, Family, and Identity

Published by Berghahn Books 2020

Aspirations of Young Adults in Urban Asia

Values, Family, and Identity

Edited by: Mariske Westendorp , Désirée Remmert and Kenneth Finis

Volume 11 in the series Asian Anthropologies

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781789208962

Overview
Contents

About this book

Comparing first-person ethnographic accounts of young people living, working, and creating relationships in cities across Asia, this volume explores their contemporary lives, pressures, ideals, and aspirations. Delving into topical issues such as education, social inequality, family pressures, changing values, precarious employment, and political discontent, the book explores how young people are pushing boundaries and imagining their future. In this way, they explore and create the identities of their local and global surroundings.

Author / Editor information

Mariske Westendorp is an anthropologist and religious studies scholar having lectured in the past at institutions such as the University of Nijmegen and the University of Utrecht. She is currently a postdoc at the University of Groningen in a research project on death and diversity.

Désirée Remmert obtained her PhD in Anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK. Afterwards she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Tübingen in Germany, Academia Sinica in Taiwan, and at the LSE, UK. Desiree has researched on personal autonomy in decision-making in urban China and Taiwan and is currently conducting research on AI policy in the UK.

Kenneth Finis is a PhD candidate with the Anthropology Department of Macquarie University in Australia. His current research focuses on the question of the intergenerational transmission of trauma, exploring how young people in Cambodia today see themselves in relation to the past, their family, and their society. He has a professional background in Social Work, having practised in both community youth work and clinical settings.

Mariske Westendorp is an anthropologist and religious studies scholar having lectured in the past at institutions such as the University of Nijmegen and the University of Utrecht. She is currently a postdoc at the University of Groningen in a research project on death and diversity.

Reviews

“This collection of essays presents anthropologists' ethnographic research on young adults' aspirations primarily in East and Southeast Asia. The editors helpfully contextualize these studies within the broader realm of aspirations research…This work will be of greatest interest to students and scholars of anthropology and aspirations research, and to a secondary audience among those working in Asian studies.” • Choice

“The ethnographic chapters of this book, exploring the aspirations of young adults in various Asian societies, are generally quite perceptive and well-written—this book is fun to read”. • Gordon Mathews, Chinese University of Hong Kong

“This volume is rich in valuable ethnographic evidence. Each author introduces a valid research perspective that opens meaningful themes of inquiry”. • Gil Hizi, University of Sydney

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
INTRODUCTION A Theoretical Framework for Exploring Aspirations of Youth in Urban Asia Mariske Westendorp, Désirée Remmert and Kenneth Finis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1 FEMALE FILIALITY RECONFIGURED Integrating Parental Expectations and Personal Aspirations in Beijing and Taipei Désirée Remmert Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	14
2 A JOURNEY FROM TAIPEI TO SHANGHAI The Impact of Migration Experience on Taiwanese Young Adults’ Aspirations and Identities in an Asian Global City Chia-Yuan Huang Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	34
3 ASPIRING TO THE GOOD LIFE South Korea’s Spec-Generation Carolin Landgraf Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	54
4 NAVIGATING TOWARDS A ‘GOOD FUTURE’ The Significance of Appearance in the Aspirations of Middle-Class Girls in Dhaka Suborna Camellia Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	70
5 SEARCHING FOR A FULFILLING LIFE Temporary Migration to Dublin amongst Young Japanese Women Ayako Suzuki Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	90
6 THE IMAGINATIONS OF TALKING BACK Exploring Identities among the Indian Youth in Urban, Middle-Class Malaysia Sally Anne Param Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	109
7 LAW STUDENTS, ASPIRATIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COLOMBO, SRI LANKA Morten Koch Andersen Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	130
8 COSMOPOLITAN COFFEE ASPIRATIONS IN CONTEMPORARY VIETNAM Sarah G. Grant Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	150
9 TRANSCENDING ASPIRATIONS Buddhism and the Quest for Belonging in Urban Hong Kong Mariske Westendorp Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	170
CONCLUSION The Future of Urban Asia Mariske Westendorp Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	187
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	201

Language: English
Publisher: Berghahn Books
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 222
Keywords: Anthropology (General); Urban Studies

eBook

Published: October 6, 2020
ISBN: 9781789208962