Tuesday, May 6
12 p.m. Central Time
Online via Zoom
The current generational cohort of Chinese retirees have gotten a tough bargain in many ways. Because the one-child policy created an upside-down population pyramid, the customary practice of aging at home under the care of an adult child is becoming increasingly untenable. At the same time, the social welfare programs that the government promised in exchange for their reproductive sacrifices never materialized, leaving retirees to plan for old age on their own.
Many older adults have responded to these policy reversals by focusing on leisure and enjoyment as much as possible—an attitude they call “play a day, count a day.” Claudia Huang will share stories that paint a portrait of life at the limits of affective governance, showing that while the state can attempt to control life trajectories, it cannot determine people’s attitudes about their own experiences.
This program is part of the Considering China webinar series.