Inside a Japanese Sharehouse

Meagher, Caitlin

doi:10.4324/9781003096672

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…Family scholars of Japan (e.g., Hidaka, 2010; Lunsing, 2001; Tokuhiro, 2010) conclude that marriage is firmly considered to be the normal life path in Japan. Qualitative research on singlehood (Cook, 2013, 2014, 2016a, 2016b, 2016c; Dales, 2014; Dales & Yamamoto, 2019; Endo, 2018; Meagher, 2021; Nakano, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2022; Nemoto, 2008; Nemoto et al, 2012; Yoshida, 2010a, 2011, 2017) observes that most of their study participants want to marry. “I want to but am single/cannot marry” was a common sentiment shared by single interviewees in these studies, and some even emphasized to the researcher that they never meant to stay single (Yoshida, 2010a, 2011, 2017).…”

Section: Empirical Findings From Japanmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Though earlier studies (e.g., Ohashi, 1993; Retherford et al, 2001) presumed the impact of women's advancement, a growing number of qualitative studies by gender scholars (e.g., Cook, 2013, 2014, 2016a, 2016b, 2016c; Dales, 2014; Dales & Yamamoto, 2019; Endo, 2018; Meagher, 2021; Nakano, 2010, 2014, 2016; Nakano & Wagatsuma, 2004; Nemoto, 2008; Nemoto et al, 2012; Rosenberger, 2013; Yoshida, 2010a, 2011, 2017) have demonstrated the profound impact of entrenched gender inequality and beliefs as reasons for effective singlehood in Japan. In addition, social contexts were dramatically changing to affect the life circumstances of younger generations significantly.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Anomie, gender, and inequality: Developing sociological theory of singlehood from Japanese experiences

Yoshida

2023

J of Family Theo & Revie

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The increase in the number of never‐married and not‐cohabiting singles, or “effective singles,” was first observed in Japan and Southern Europe. In Northern and Western Europe and North America, increased singlehood was due largely to increased cohabitation. Existing sociological theories of singlehood, however, are formulated based on the observations of the latter, and fall short in explaining why more individuals remain unpartnered. The wealth of data from singlehood research in Japan suggest that many singles desire marriage yet drift into singlehood, facing structural, cultural barriers in a rapidly changing social context. The impact of gender inequality is salient, but existing theories focus on women's advancement and egalitarianism. This paper proposes an alternative theoretical framework for explaining causes of singlehood, incorporating sociological and feminist perspectives and Emile Durkheim's theory of anomie, and calls for shifting the center to observations from non‐Western societies for better theorization.

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