Aspirations of Young Adults in Urban Asia

Mariske Westendorp is an anthropologist and religious studies scholar having lectured in the past at institutions such as the University of Nijmegen and the University of Utrecht. She is currently a postdoc at the University of Groningen in a research project on death and diversity.

• AcknowledgementsIntroduction: A Theoretical Framework for Exploring Aspirations of Youth in Urban AsiaMariske Westendorp, Désirée Remmert and Kenneth FinisChapter 1. Female Filiality Reconfigured: Integrating Parental Expectations and Personal Aspirations in Beijing and TaipeiDésirée RemmertChapter 2. A Journey from Taipei to Shanghai: The Impact of Migration Experience on Taiwanese Young Adults’ Aspirations and Identities in an Asian Global CityChia-Yuan HuangChapter 3. Aspiring to the Good Life: South Korea's Spec-generationCarolin LandgrafChapter 4. Navigating Towards a ‘Good Future’: Significance of Appearance in the Aspirations of Dhaka Middle-class GirlsSuborna CamelliaChapter 5. Searching for a Fulfilling Life: Temporary Migration to Dublin amongst Young Japanese Women   Ayako SuzukiChapter 6. The Imaginations of Talking Back: Exploring Identities among the Indian Youth in Urban, Middle-class MalaysiaSally Anne ParamChapter 7. Law Students, Aspirations and Accomplishments in Colombo, Sri LankaMorten Koch AndersenChapter 8. Cosmopolitan Coffee Aspirations in Contemporary VietnamSarah G. GrantChapter 9. Transcending Aspirations: Buddhism and the Quest for Belonging in Urban Hong KongMariske WestendorpConclusion: The Future of Urban AsiaMariske WestendorpIndex

“This collection of essays presents anthropologists' ethnographic research on young adults' aspirations primarily in East and Southeast Asia. The editors helpfully contextualize these studies within the broader realm of aspirations research…This work will be of greatest interest to students and scholars of anthropology and aspirations research, and to a secondary audience among those working in Asian studies.” • Choice“The ethnographic chapters of this book, exploring the aspirations of young adults in various Asian societies, are generally quite perceptive and well-written—this book is fun to read”. • Gordon Mathews, Chinese University of Hong Kong“This volume is rich in valuable ethnographic evidence. Each author introduces a valid research perspective that opens meaningful themes of inquiry”. • Gil Hizi, University of Sydney