Transformation of the family structure in Southeast Asia: trends and implications

Abstract

All three demographic components—births, migration, and mortality—influence multiple aspects of families and households. Southeast Asia has witnessed substantial demographic changes notable of which are steep declines in fertility, increase in both intra-regional and international migration, and considerable lengthening of life expectancy. While the family continues to be a central institution, many aspects of the family are changing. Demographic literature on the causes and consequences of family change in the region is limited. At a more fundamental level, what constitutes a family during times of demographic change, as observed by Farris (2020, p. 4) in a different context, needs to be redefined to “include any group of people who are unified, cooperative, and care for each other.”

Using census and survey data from seven countries in the region and reviewing demographic reports between 1980 and 2017, this chapter examines demographic changes and their linkages to transformations in the family structure in the region. The chapter highlights the changes in family structure resulting from later marriage, greater marital instability, delay in young people leaving home, and a growing number of older persons.