| How do millennials in East Asia make transition to adulthood? What does it mean to become an adult in East Asia? Under the contexts of rapid educational expansion, growing economic inequality, and shifting cultural norms, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese young people are facing various challenges in coming of age. The dim outlook for landing a full-time, stable, and good job, for instance, had led many Korean millennials to ‘give up’ dating, marriage, and parenting, considered as major milestones of adulthood. More and more young millennials delay departure from their parental home. At the same time, East Asian millennials are highly educated, tech-savvy, and culturally diverse, distinguishing themselves from older generations. This course first offers an overall view of changing patterns and timing of transition to adulthood in East Asia (particularly compared to experiences of young adults in the United States and Europe). In the class, students will be able to identify demographic, cultural and economic factors that shape specific pathways to adulthood in East Asia. The course highlights diversity and heterogeneity in stories of coming of age among East Asian millennials from different socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic backgrounds. Diverse narratives and perceptions of adulthood in East Asia are discussed. |
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