Parental strictness I think is pure crap, it is based on parents not trusting their children to be responsible for themselves.
As for the culture issue, I think its just that azn parental strictness is more readily identified partly as a product of xenophobia eg its easier to see faults in others backyards than our own. In this way I think that some white parents are as strict as some azn ones are.
Some examples I can draw are several of my frinds two both have inter-racial families both the fathers azn both mothers anglo. In the first case my friend is banned from having any girl friends until after his HSC and there is alot of pressure on him to perform. The funny thing being that these restrictions and expectations are from his mother.
In the second case my friend has very little restriction on what she does goes to heaps of concerts etc no pressure to perform but she has grown up in a combative intellectual environment where open discourse on anything is encouraged.
The third case is a friend from a Anglo familiy, parents have broken up fathers over-seas he lives with his mother she is incredibly protective and pushing, often in seemingly oppsing directions eg you need more social life and don't go out as much, study more.
Fourth example is my gf: african father, anglo mother small l liberal upbringing. Has always been very independant and down what she wants when she wants. Has always had to take responsibility for her actions. As a note until about two years ago she hadn't seen her dad in seven years, she met him via a chance meeting at a servo. When her parents split up, she basically never saw her father again until a couple of years ago.
Finally myself, anglo parents, still together. Strange system of declining limits, as I get older and push for less limits they evaporate.
Ok I lied about finally. In answer to one partner controlling the other, I do things she doesnt agree with she does things I don't necaserily like, I don't like her being in situations where I cant protect her, if she thinks that I'm just being paranoid then she'll do it anyway. I dunno its hard to explain but tehre are unspokens, I don't do some things she doesnt do some things.
