ABSTRACT

Based on data collected for the Generation Gap Survey in Shanghai and updated to take into account contemporary trends, this book uses an empirical approach to study the generation gap in China. It covers various aspects of life from professional and family life to political participation and belief systems, analysing and comparing the values held by four different generations. Encompassing more than 2000 case studies and drawing on a wealth of fieldwork interviews, in particular it examines the experiences, thoughts and perceptions of adolescents, young adults, the middle-aged, and the elderly. As the largest sociological survey ever conducted regarding attitudes and value changes by different age groups in Shanghai, it highlights how social change and globalization have impacted on new generations, and the results indicate the dramatic difference and supersession of social ideologies between the generations.

A unique piece of research, shedding light on a changing Chinese society, China’s Generation Gap will be of huge value to students and scholars of Chinese culture and society, Chinese social policy, globalisation and cultural studies.

part 1I|59 pages

Sociological perspectives and methods on generation gaps in a transformational society

chapter 1|18 pages

Paradigm

chapter 2|15 pages

Principles

chapter 3|14 pages

Hypothesis

chapter 4|10 pages

Research design

part 60I|92 pages

An empirical study of generation gaps

chapter 5|19 pages

Generation gaps in work values

chapter 6|18 pages

Generation gaps in daily life values

chapter 7|16 pages

Generation gaps in social values

chapter 8|12 pages

Generation gaps in cultural values

chapter |1 pages

Postscript (Chinese version, 1997)