Conference Convenors

Dr Zhang Yanxia (arizyx@nus.edu.sg)
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore

Prof Jean Yeung (ariywj@nus.edu.sg)
Asia Research Institute & Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore

The issue of care is now high on the social policy agenda of many Western societies. Recent literature on the political and social economy of care apply the ‘care diamond’ conceptual framework to look at how care is produced and provided by the family, state, market and voluntary sector (including community) and how the relationships between these multiple institutions shift over time and across different national contexts.

Care in Asian countries is a relatively less studied topic. Simplistic classifications of the welfare regimes such as ‘the Asian model’ or ‘familialistic’ welfare regime seem to neglect the diverse care policies and practices which have been adopted over time in different Asian countries and regions. There is an urgent need for a collation of the available data on recent policy and practice changes in care provision for the elderly and young children in different regions and countries of Asia, and for an understanding of the implications of these changes.

The main objectives of this conference are (1) to examine how the boundaries of care provision for the elderly and young children have shifted between the family, state, market, and voluntary sector over time and across different national contexts in Asia; 2) to examine how recent policy changes in elderly care and child care in different regions and countries of Asia influence these boundaries shifts and vice versa; and 3) to explore the implications of these recent changes in care provision for social stratification by class and gender in Asia.

This conference aims at bringing together researchers and policy makers from multi-disciplines in different parts of Asia. Issues investigated may fall within the following themes:

1. Concepts, theories, methodologies of care research in Asia
2. Institutional frameworks and policies related to elderly care and child care
3. Unpaid care provision (within households) for the elderly and young children
4. Different forms of non-household care provision including domestic workers, home-based care workers and non-household family care-givers

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Paper proposals should include a title, an abstract (300 words max.) and a short bio-note of the author(s) (150 words). Please submit and address all applications and enquiries to Miss Sharon Ong (arios@nus.edu.sg) by 5 November 2010.

Click here for the Abstract Proposal Form: http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/showfile.asp?eventfileid=590

Successful applicants will be notified by 19 November 2010 and will be required to send in a completed paper (5,000-6,000 words) by 21 February 2011. Selected papers will be developed and included in one special issue journal or an edited book commissioned for the Conference.