logo
ResearchBunny Logo
Abandoned children in China: the son-preference culture and the gender-differentiated impacts of the one-child policy

Sociology

Abandoned children in China: the son-preference culture and the gender-differentiated impacts of the one-child policy

M. Yang, X. Xia, et al.

This pivotal study by Mei Yang, Xinming Xia, and Yi Zhou delves into the alarming trends of child abandonment in China, linking it to the one-child policy and deep-seated clan cultures. Discover how gender biases continue to shape these tragic outcomes, especially for girls, amidst varying cultural responses across provinces.

00:00
00:00
~3 min • Beginner • English
Abstract
China has experienced an upsurge in child abandonment since the late 1970s alongside the one-child policy (OCP) and market reforms. Leveraging over 100,000 self-reported cases of abandonment spanning 40 years collected from the Baby Come Back Home (BCBH) internet platform, this study documents spatial-temporal trends and examines how the OCP and long-standing clan (son-preference) culture affect abandonment at the provincial level, with attention to gender differences. A stricter OCP penalty increases child abandonment, particularly of girls. However, in provinces with strong clan culture, the OCP's effect on girl abandonment is weaker, consistent with more unbalanced sex ratios at birth driven by increased gender-selective abortions.
Publisher
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Published On
Aug 25, 2023
Authors
Mei Yang, Xinming Xia, Yi Zhou
Tags
child abandonment
one-child policy
China
gender differences
clan culture
abandonment rates

Related Publications

Explore these studies to deepen your understanding of the subject.

The influence of the parental child-rearing gender-role attitude on children's social adjustment in single- and two-parent families: the mediating role of intergenerational identity
Education

The influence of the parental child-rearing gender-role attitude on children's social adjustment in single- and two-parent families: the mediating role of intergenerational identity

I. Chen, Y. Wang, et al.

Joint liability and aggravation? An inspection of legislative and judicial practices in cases of the crime of the abduction, sale, and purchase of women and children in China
Political Science

Joint liability and aggravation? An inspection of legislative and judicial practices in cases of the crime of the abduction, sale, and purchase of women and children in China

D. Wang

Seeing disasters through the eyes of children: a critical reading of One Snowy Night and The Storm in the Barn through the lens of critical disaster studies
The Arts

Seeing disasters through the eyes of children: a critical reading of One Snowy Night and The Storm in the Barn through the lens of critical disaster studies

H. M. Bayoumy

Impact of the destination image and government policy responsiveness of China on Korean travelers' destination trust and behaviors in the post-pandemic era
Business

Impact of the destination image and government policy responsiveness of China on Korean travelers' destination trust and behaviors in the post-pandemic era

H. Han, H. N. Nguyen, et al.

Listen, Learn & Level Up
Over 10,000 hours of research content in 25+ fields, available in 12+ languages.
No more digging through PDFs, just hit play and absorb the world's latest research in your language, on your time.
listen to research audio papers with researchbunny