11 - Multigenerational Families in Singapore

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The maintenance of close relational ties within multigenerational families has long been a cultural ideal in Asian families. In the discussion of the concept of the Asian family discussed in sociological literature, the high level of interdependence which is maintained even after adult children are married seems to be a distinguishing factor. Research that has studied the life course perspective among Asian populations has highlighted the concept of the “traditional contract” between generations (Bengston 1992). Antonucci's (1990) concept of generalized reciprocity, which refers to exchanges that take place over the lifespan of two generations, are observed to be very much alive in Singapore today (Mehta 1999). This exchange of reciprocal ties between older parents and their adult children has been studied in anthropological and sociological literature as “filial piety”. (Thang 2000)

The topic of grandparenting has received much attention in recent years (Hayslip and Kaminski 2005; Minkler and Fuller-Thomson 2005; Landry-Meyer and Newman 2004). A recent study on filial piety in Singapore by Goransson (2004) traces the trends in changes in the operationalization of filial piety in the Singapore context presently. Discussing the impact of the non-welfare system of Singapore on family dynamics in the context of Chinese Confucian tradition, she concludes that although “[t]he prevalence of filial piety, seniority, and solid intergenerational ties in notions of Chinese culture suggest that familial support and care of elderly would be somehow in-built in the minds of Chinese people”, “[i]n practice however, the image proves to be problematic.” (ibid., p. 20). From Goransson's illuminating study, it is therefore important to conduct in-depth qualitative research to “listen to the ground” in order to fully understand the Singaporean reality.

FOCUS OF CHAPTER

This chapter will limit the “Asian family” to the three major ethnic groups in Singapore, that is, the Chinese, Malays and Indians. The chapter reports on the qualitative findings of part of a larger research project titled “Grandparenting in Selected Asian Societies”, funded by the National University of Singapore. While the larger research covers five countries, this chapter is restricted in scope to Singapore only.