Family Relationships in China. The Evolution of Male Parenthood based on Interviews with Chinese Graduate Students in Madrid

Abstract

The presence of Chinese immigrants and students in Spain is becoming more and more significant; therefore, it is urgent to study their culture in greater depth. In this paper, we take into consideration family relationships and the issue of male parenthood. We use as theoretical framework of reference the contributions of authors such as Beck, Bauman, Seidler, Hochschild, etc. We conducted 30 semi-structured qualitative interviews with postgraduate Chinese students at universities in Madrid. The results show that, there is still a prevalence of more traditional male fatherhood in China, far from emotions and reflexivity, which, however, are increasingly characteristics widespread in Spain and, more generally, in Western countries. Furthermore, it seems that family relations in China continue to exert a very relevant weight. The interviewees, who are familiar with the Spanish way of leaving, have highlighted the differences between China and Spain.