Beyond W.E.I.R.D. (Western, educated, industrial, rich, democratic)‐centric theories and perspectives: masculinity and fathering in Chinese societies

Abstract

Beyond W.E.I.R.D. (Western, educated, industrial, rich, democratic)-centric theories and perspectives: masculinity and fathering in Chinese societies Fatherhood scholarship has made much theoretical progress over the past decades, yet existing models and concepts continue to draw primarily on western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD)-centric assumptions. This review uses demographically sizeable, culturally significant, yet understudied and undertheorized Chinese fathers as an example to reveal the limitations of applying WEIRD-centric perspectives when studying fathering and fatherhood. Specifically, existing models and concepts of fathering and fatherhood, with an emphasis on father involvement, especially in rough-and-tumble play, are predicated on the assumptions of nuclear family and western hegemonic masculinity. The Chinese cultural tradition, in contrast, endorses a literatus masculinity and emphasizes the family lineage, thereby encouraging fathers' educational involvement and

Family functioning and emotion socialization in Chinese two‐parent households: A person‐centered approach

“…However, urbanicity is only one source of within‐culture variation. Both fathers’ and mothers’ perceptions of the paternal ES role must be understood within the dynamic context of Chinese masculinities, family relationship ideals, and social and economic policies (Li et al., 2021).…”

“…This suggests fathers' active involvement in children's emotional lives crossculturally. Emergence of this cluster may reflect contemporary changes in the role of Chinese fathers from emotionally-distant educators to more involved and warmer parents, influenced by long-lasting westernization and social transformations that have diversified the ways Chinese ideals about masculinity and family lineage are understood and enacted (Li, 2020;Li et al, 2021). An engaged mothers cluster was not found by Miller-Slough et al (2018).…”

Influence of parental play on Taiwanese 3-year-olds’ executive function: Through the path of motor skills.

“…Long-term longitudinal data are needed to understand the associations over time among parent–child play, motor skills, and the development of children’s EF. Last, it is worth acknowledging that the existing concepts and measures of fathering, father involvement, and father–child play in the field and those used in the present study largely reflect the perspectives of Western hegemonic masculinity instead of Chinese culture (Li et al, 2021). Father interaction in Chinese culture is therefore worthy of further exploration from its own cultural lens.…”

Ethnic and diverse fathering: Moving research forward

“…In a sociocultural context, Li et al (2021) critically explore men's identity in relation to masculinity and its impact on fathering in Chinese societies. Chinese men constitute one of the largest global population and have migrated in significant numbers around the world.…”