Abstract
This dissertation investigates how institutional constraints, family structure, and cultural norms interact to shape family dynamics in contemporary China, through the lens of families as mediating institutions. Employing nationally representative data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), three empirical studies examine women’s labor market outcomes, intergenerational caregiving patterns, and wives’ household decision-making power within the context of China’s rapid social transformation.The first study quantifies the motherhood penalty among rural-to-urban migrant women, employing pooled regression models to identify the heightened career and earnings disadvantages faced by migrant mothers, particularly during their children’s preschool years. The analysis demonstrates that multigenerational co-residence with grandparents serves as a crucial coping strategy, mitigating employment setbacks for migrant mothers with young children.
The second study explores the interplay between sibling composition and filial norms in shaping adult children’s support to parents. Utilizing IPTW (Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting) and regression analyses, the study reveals that only-child adults exhibit stronger emotional bonds and instrumental support compared to those with siblings. It further finds that authoritative and resciprocal filial norms operate differently across urban and rural hukou.
The third study investigates how educational assortative mating influences wives’ participation in household decision-making, employing Marginal Structural Models to address time-varying confounding. Results indicate that women in hypogamous marriages exercise greater financial authority, yet this effect is significantly moderated by family structure and regional context: urban wives retain decision-making autonomy regardless of co-residence, whereas rural wives’ economic power diminishes when living with parents-in-law.
By integrating analyses of employment, caregiving, and household power, this dissertation advances our understanding of Chinese families function as mediating institutions between macro-structural forces and individual outcomes. The findings highlight the complex mechanisms through which institutional policies, demographic change, and enduring cultural values shape gender and intergenerational relations. Policy implications for labor market equity, social support for migrants, and women’s empowerment are discussed.
| Date of Award | 6 Aug 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Wai Keung Jerf YEUNG (Supervisor) & Zhuoni ZHANG (Supervisor) |