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What Do Grandfathers Value? Understanding Grandfatherhood in Asia Through Chinese Grandfathers in Singapore

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Book cover Grandfathers

Part of the book series: Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life ((PSFL))

Abstract

This chapter examines grandfathers’ involvement with their grandchildren in Asia through the perceived roles and functions of grandfathers, taking into particular consideration cultural continuity, value transmission, and its impact on both the meaning-making and practices of grandfatherhood. Through primarily an analysis of thirty letters from Chinese grandfathers in Singapore to their grandchildren, three broad themes have emerged for discussion: heritage, value transmission, and provision of care and support. These themes, when juxtaposed with masculinity, education, and socio-historical circumstances unique to Singapore Chinese, reveal the saliency of generativity in giving meaning to intergenerational connection for Chinese grandfathers in contemporary Singapore.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In 1980, the life expectancy in Singapore was 69.8 and 74.7 years for males and females respectively. By 2014, it had increased by about 10 years to 80.5 and 84.9 years respectively (Department of Statistics Singapore, 7 May 2015; http: www.singtel.gov.sg/statistics/visualising-data/charts/life-expectancy-at-birth, accessed 15 May 2015).

  2. 2.

    Within the total population of 5.47 million in 2014, 3.87 million were residents, including citizens (3.34 million) and permanent residents (527,000). The country had a population density of 7615 persons/km2 (DOS 2014).

  3. 3.

    In Singapore, close to 80 % of the population live in public housing managed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). A survey among the HDB residents aged 55 and older who have married children found it quite common for at least one married child to live nearby, defined as living next door, on the same block, in a nearby block, on the same town, or in a nearby town (Yap and MCYS, 2010).

  4. 4.

    The letters were obtained by various means, including invitations to specific individuals, as well as open call for letters announced in newspapers.

  5. 5.

    In Singapore, all men serve in the army in the form of national service for 2 years after high school.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Japanese Studies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Leng Leng Thang

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  1. Leng Leng Thang
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Correspondence to Leng Leng Thang .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford, United Kingdom

    Ann Buchanan

  2. Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Anna Rotkirch

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Thang, L.L. (2016). What Do Grandfathers Value? Understanding Grandfatherhood in Asia Through Chinese Grandfathers in Singapore. In: Buchanan, A., Rotkirch, A. (eds) Grandfathers. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56338-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56338-5_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-56337-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-56338-5

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