Novelty of the project

Current research on the numerical imbalance between men and women in the marriage market is usually limited to the demographic and quantitative aspect, neglecting the qualitative one. Conversely, research on sexuality, gender roles and living conditions hardly touches on numbers in the analysis of relations between men and women. As a result, little is known about the consequences of a sex imbalance on the marriage market and, more broadly on individuals, their life plans and living conditions, and on gender roles and sexuality.

DefiChine covers themes that remain unexplored in contemporary societies both North and South. It is innovative because it will shed light on new trends and provide analysis at the intersection of demography, sociology and economics, in a field (China) with unprecedented demographic changes but which, given the size of the Chinese population (20% of the world population) is likely to influence the demographics elsewhere, notably by importing women from other countries.

Exploratory surveys revealed a variety of characteristics of single men in the context of a shortage of women. Using that first experience, DefiChine includes this specific theme within the broader issue of male bachelors’ living conditions, perception of gender roles, and family and sexual behaviours, in a context of reduced availability of female partners and major social and economic transformations.