The demographic future of Asia is a global issue. As the biggest driver of population growth, an understanding of patterns and trends in fertility throughout Asia is critical to understand our shared demographic future. This is the first book to comprehensively and systematically analyse fertility across the continent through the perspective of individuals themselves rather than as a consequence of top-down government policies. Special introductory chapters provide context to the key themes of 'son preference' and the relationship between fertility preferences and broader theories of fertility transition. Exploring fertility through the lens of preferences, international researchers and leading academics discuss themes relating to family size, contraception use, and the roles of indicators such as education and income, as well as sub-national variation. Covering the experiences of more than one-third of the global population over 22 territories, this book explores the heterogeneous experience of Asia, home to some of the highest and lowest fertility rates in the world. Understudied countries such as Brunei, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste have new and revealing fertility data examined. This is the go-to reference guide for scholars, students and policymakers who are concerned with Asia's demographic future. Scholars of demography, reproductive health and family planning will find this a comprehensive insight into the future demography of Asia. Contributors include: N. Ahmad, A.A. Ajayi, N. Alam, J. Anson, A.A. Aziz, S. Barkat, Barkat-e-Khuda, E. Byambaa, J. Casterline, M. Channon, M.K. Choe, C.J.P. Cruz, G.T. Cruz, G.L. Dasvarma, S. Devarapalli, S. Dubuc, M.A. Eryurt, W. Fadila, N. Fukuda, C. Gee, P.A. Ghani, S. Gietel-Basten, J. Gouda, B. Gu, M.R. Haque, M.S. Hasan, R. Herartri, T. Hull, N. Ismail, Y. Karki, S. Kosal, E. Lavu, H. Lina, A. Mahmud, S. Masdar, P. McDonald, S. Naresh, N. Nyi, S. Parera, K.T. Park, S.H. Rachmad, N.R. Rao, S.A. Rashid, U. Saikia, J.M.I. Salas, O.B. Samosir, T.T. Saotome, C. Shekhar, M. Singh, K.K. Soe, T. Spoorenberg, A. Utomo, M.A. Wazir, M.T. Yap, Z. Zheng

Despite the twenty-first century's often being referred to as the Asian Century-indicating hope for economic growth and the rebalancing of the global order-population aging and stagnation present an existential threat to the success of China and other territories of Pacific Asia (namely Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea). This book argues that the "population problem," rooted in low fertility, has thus far been largely considered in a linear way: low fertility leads to population stagnation and rapid aging, so fixing low fertility should correct the problem. However, a multi-dimensional lens is essential to appreciating the scale and nature of the issue-and, indeed, to determining whether it is an issue at all. Stuart Gietel-Basten examines how the issue of low fertility has been constructed, how blame has been apportioned, and why policies designed to tackle it have yielded few results. Drawing on an array of primary and secondary sources as well as examples from scholarly and popular literature,The "Population Problem" in Pacific Asia takes a comparative approach to fertility in the region and locates mainland China in its regional context. It serves as a useful resource for government workers, stakeholders, and students and scholars in sociology, demography, geography, economics, and area studies.

Demography is not destiny. As Giacomo Casanova explained over two centuries ago: 'There is no such thing as destiny. We ourselves shape our own lives.' Today we are shaping them and our societies more than ever before. Globally, we have never had fewer children per adult: our population is about to stabilize, though we do not know when or at what number, or what will happen after that. It will be the result of billions of very private decisions influenced in turn by multiple events and policies, some more unpredictable than others. More people are moving further around the world than ever before: we too often see that as frightening, rather than as indicating greater freedom. Similarly, we too often lament greater ageing, rather than recognizing it as a tremendous human achievement with numerous benefits to which we must adapt. Demography comes to the fore most positively when we see that we have choices, when we understand variation and when we are not deterministic in our prescriptions. The study of demography has for too long been dominated by pessimism and inhuman, simplistic accounting. As this fascinating and persuasive overview demonstrates, how we understand our demography needs to change again.