Relational Harmony: A New Model of Collectivism and Gender Equality Among Chinese American Couples

Abstract

Social harmony is a valued relational rule in collectivism. Using data from in-depth interviews with 20 Chinese American couples, the authors study how husbands and wives interpret and negotiate marital harmony within a multicultural context and how gender relates to this process. Although all participants appear to seek harmony, the result indicates two quite different forms. Structural harmony is based on traditional social norms that emphasize obligation to the whole. Relational harmony is “we-centered” and prioritizes the marriage relationship itself. Not all couples fall neatly in either category; couples in transition experience a push-and-pull process between the multiple influences in their lives. These tensions are explored through six dimensions: (a) conflict between relational and structural goals, (b) communal versus dyadic obligation, (c) unclear authority structure, (d) intersection of family and workplace, (e) harmonizing multiple voices, and (f) incorporating personal agency. Implications for research and practice are addressed.

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