Journal of Families and Better Life (가정과삶의질연구)

Korean Home Management Association (가정과삶의질학회)
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Marriage and Family Discourse of Ever-Single Women in their 40s and 50s

40, 50대 비혼 여성의 결혼 및 가족 담론

  • Sung, Miai (Department of Home Economics, Korea National Open University)
  • Received : 2014.01.15
  • Accepted : 2014.04.15
  • Published : 2014.04.30
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Abstract

This study attempted to achieve an understanding of how ever-single women in their 40s and 50s deconstructed and restructured on marriage and family. For this aim, this study adopted a qualitative method. The participants were 13 single women in their 40s and 50s who had never been married. In-depth individual interviews were carried out, focusing on ever-single women's views about marriage and family. The result of theme analysis indicated that the participants considered marriage as an unfavorable lifestyle for women. The participants could be split into two types based on their perspectives on marriage. The first type had a universal concept of marriage. In other words, they believed that when they growup, they should be married women. The other type had a negative concept of marriage because of their parents'unhappy marriage. Despite their view of marriage, all of the participants recognized marriage as a patriarchal structure. Also, they had a strong sense of responsibility to their original families. They had a broad definition of family, so they considered their parents, siblings, and siblings' family members as their family. In addition, they interacted with their families, especially their mothers, who did not have control over their lives but supported them and showed interest in their lives. Like this, the participants maintained their views of married life and family without changing after their single status and had close relationships with their family members.

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