A Bangladeshi A Bangladeshi Community Between Community Between

Integration and Closure : Integration and Closure : Women and the Dreamed Women and the Dreamed

WorkWork

Una Comunità Bangladese tra Integrazione e Chiusura : le Donne ed il

Lavoro Sognato

The Places : BangladeshThe Places : Bangladesh

The Places : Tower HamletsThe Places : Tower Hamlets

The Places : Quartier del Piave (QdP)The Places : Quartier del Piave (QdP)

Methodological PlanningMethodological Planning

Initial Planning (Quali-quantitative Analysis)

Final Planning (Qualitative Analysis)

The Analysis of The Analysis of CultureCulture (The Analysis Environment)(The Analysis Environment)

The Role of CultureThe Role of Culture

Basic BibliographyBasic Bibliography

On Feminine Condition On Self Construal Modalities

Kabeer N. (2000), The Power to Choose : Bangladeshi Women and Labour Market Decisions in London and Dhaka, Verso, London

Papanek H. (1973), Purdah : Separate Worlds and Symbolic Shelter, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Cambridge

Rozario S.T. (2004), Building Solidarity Against Patriarchy, Rural Livelihoods Program, CARE Bangladesh, Dhaka

Markus H.R. and Kitayama S. (1991), Culture and Self : Implications for Cognition, Emotion and Motivation, Psychological Review

Ewing K.P. (1991), Can psychoanalytic Theory Explain The Pakistani Woman ? Intrapsychic Autonomy and Interpersonal Engagement in the Extended Family, Ethos

Kagitcibasi C. (2005), Autonomy and Relatedness in Cultural Context : Implications for Self and Family, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

The FieldworkThe Fieldwork

Bangladeshi Settlements in the Bangladeshi Settlements in the Province of TrevisoProvince of Treviso

Maschi = Males – Femmine = Females – Totali = TotalMaschi = Males – Femmine = Females – Totali = Total

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2003 2007

Maschi

Femmine

Totali

Events ChronologyEvents Chronology

Features of Women’s Condition in Features of Women’s Condition in BangladeshBangladesh

Gender Based Division of Gender Based Division of Labour(1)Labour(1)

Bangladesh : Gender based Division of Labour (Rice Cultivation and Production)

Activities F M BSeed testing XSeed germination XSowing XLand preparation XTransplanting XWeeding XIrrigation and Spraying XHarvesting XPreparing threshing floor (court yard) X

Gender Based Division of Gender Based Division of Labour(2)Labour(2)

Activities F M BThreshing XWinnowing and Sieving XSeed Selection and Storage XParboiling XDrying XHusking XStorage XDrying of Straw X

Legend F = Females

M = Males

B = Both

Source : Abdullah e Zeidenstein, 1982

The Market (Male Space) and Women Works The Market (Male Space) and Women Works performed in the Household Gardenperformed in the Household Garden

Handicraft (Female Space) and Handicraft (Female Space) and Rice Transplanting (Male Space)Rice Transplanting (Male Space)

Gender Based Division of Labour in Gender Based Division of Labour in Agriculture, in PakistanAgriculture, in Pakistan

Pakistan : Gender Roles in Upland Crop production(40% of national surface) (Various Crops: Cotton, Rice, Sugarcane, Wheat, Pulses)

Attività W M B

Land preparation X

Applying farmyard manure X XX

Applying fertilizer X

Weeding/Hoeing and Harvesting X

Husking/Threshing XX X

Drying X

Storing/Preparing storage X X

W = Women M = Men B = Both XX/X = Relative involvement

Source : ESCAP, 1996 – Rural Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, United Nations, New York

The Bari, the Typical Bangladeshi VillageThe Bari, the Typical Bangladeshi Village

The Representations of Male and Female in The Representations of Male and Female in Bangladeshi CultureBangladeshi Culture

Male Female

Nature Culture Nature Culture

Care of Rice - As a Crop - The Technique of Rice Cultivation

- As Seed- Techniques of

Seed Conservation

- As Food

- Techniques of Cooking and Food

Conservation (Parboiling, etc.)

Gender Universe

-Work- Growth and Physical

Strenght- Effort

- The Working Techniques

- The Care of Physical Strenght

- Fertility- Germination

- Children Upbringing

- The Techniques of Conservation and

Development of Fertility and of Plant Germination

- The Techniques of Children Upbringing

Inner and Outer

- Aimed at the Outer World

- Aggressiveness

- Techniques for the Management of Aggressiveness

- The Management of Markets and of Social

Relations with the Outer World

- Aimed at the Inner World

- Docility- Subordination

- The Techniques for the Management

Interpersonal Relations in the

Household

The Representations of Male and Female in The Representations of Male and Female in Cabilian Culture (Bourdieu, 1977)Cabilian Culture (Bourdieu, 1977)

Hunna – haram – Holy – left Nif (honour) – Holy - right

- Female, Femininity- Woman as Holder of Evil and Impure Powers- Left, Crooked- Vulnerability, Nakedness

- Male, Virility- Man as Protector and Holder of Beneficial Powers- Right, Straight- Protection- Closure, Dress

Inside Outside

- Women Area of Interest: the House, the Garden- Closed and Secret World of Intimate Life : Feeding and Sexuality

- Men Area of Interest: the Assembly, the Mosque, the Fields, the Market- Open World of Public Life and of Public and Social Activities- Trading

Wet, water Dry, fire

Outline of a Model of “Traditional” CultureOutline of a Model of “Traditional” Culture

Male (outside world) Female (inside world)Nature Work, growht, physical strenght, Effort Fertility, germination, children upbringing

Culture Knowledge, working techniques, care of physical strenght

Techniques of conservation and development of fertility and plant germination;Techniques of children upbringing

Gender universe

Aimed at the outer world, aggressiveness Aimed at the inner world, docility, subordination

Work Fieldwork, trading, handicraft Housework, children upbringing, finishing in the house or in the garden of outside work (agriculture, handicraft, etc.)

Other social aspects

Virility;Man as protector and holder of beneficial powers;Right, straight;Protection, closure, dress;Area of interests : the Assembly, the Religious site of gathering, the Fields, the Market;Open world of public life and social activities;Dry, fire.

Femininity;Woman as holder of evil and impure powers;

Left, croocked;Vulnerability, nakedness;Area of interests : the House, the Garden;

Closed and secret world of intimate life : feeding and sexuality;

Wet, water.

The Purdah SystemThe Purdah System

Separate Worlds and Separate Worlds and Symbolic ShelterSymbolic Shelter

The Control of DrivesThe Control of Drives

The Judicial SystemThe Judicial System

Elements of the Judicial System

Man Woman

InheritanceInherits the Whole Property

Inherits the half of the Property that the Man would inherit

Marriage Can be Polygamic (Poliginy)

Only Monogamic

Divorce Very easy to obtain Might be obtained only under certain conditions and through a judicial way

Guardianship of Children

Is always the Father’s privilege

The Mother is entitled only to the Custody of the minor child, not the Guardianship

General Aspects - Active- Who protects

- Passive- In Need of protection

The Village Traditional InstitutionsThe Village Traditional Institutions

The Emergence of Dowry (Dabi)The Emergence of Dowry (Dabi)

Choosing to Work in Dhaka : Motivations Choosing to Work in Dhaka : Motivations and Kinds of Choiceand Kinds of Choice

Num. Model of agency

Model of decision making

Fre-quencies

%

1 Reluctant agency (Loss of male support is not

accepted)

Uncontested decision making

7 12

2 Active agency (Loss of male support has been accepted– growht of the possibilities of choice)

Uncontested decision making

18 31

3 Active agency (need of an economic support from the

woman)

Consensual decision making

14 24

4 Active agency (male resistance caused by the

fear of loss of female support)

Negotiated decision making

10 17

5 Active agency (even in the presence of male refuse)

Conflictual decision making 9 16

Total 58 100

The Entrance of the Factory, the Work Site as The Entrance of the Factory, the Work Site as a Second Homea Second Home

Choosing to Work in Dhaka : Uses of Women’s Choosing to Work in Dhaka : Uses of Women’s SalariesSalaries

Cat. N.° of Cases

Tipology Description

1 29 Earnings pooled in a common fund

- On 15 cases, managed by the male household head;- on 12 cases, by the working women themselves;

2 3 Partial pooling of earnings

- Part of the earnings is pooled in the common fund, part has been kept by the working women;

3 10

Earnings coming from outside work separated from others household

funds

- The earnings have been kept completely by the working women;

4 18Earnings managed directly by women

workers

- We are dealing with women belonging to non conventional households, where the women are the only who manage the household budget;

Choosing to Work in Dhaka: Individual Choosing to Work in Dhaka: Individual Choices of Using Women’s SalariesChoices of Using Women’s Salaries

Tipology N.° of Cases

Description

1) Economic need and optionless choice 10

- Need to work caused by the lack of male support;-Esercitano un maggiore controllo sul reddito;

2) Contributions, claims and joint

welfare maximisation14

-Subjective desire to maximize the household welfare;- The external earnings are effective in the maximisation of household welafre;

3) Patriarchal constraint and

strategic gender needs

14

- Needs corresponding to the disadvantaged women conditions – are used to reduce these disadvantaged conditions of the patriarchal contract (more attention is given to men, to reduce the risk of abandonment);- Decisions are not taken in an open way;- Savings to create a dowry;

4) Transformative choices and strategic

gender interests22

- These choices are not different, but express a repositioning of women condition inside the household (usually interesting the education of childern);- These choices empower women self-esteem;- They might go so far as to the breaking up of marriage;

Choosing to Work in Dhaka : Male Problems Choosing to Work in Dhaka : Male Problems and Female Answersand Female Answers

Male Problems Female Answers

1 Males sense of Identity is linked to the traditional gender values existing inside the family;

2 To accept the financial contribution of women challenges the gender identity of males;

3 Family Honour is challenged by women outside work;

4 There’s fear of sexual activity of women workers outside the household, in the new working environment;

1 The working environment gets ’’familiarized’’, assimilated to the household environment and transformed in an ’’inside’’, assimilable to purdah rules;

2

The use of new negotiation strategies aimed at finding a consensual solution to the problem (the economic advantage brought up by outside home earnings is not enough to compensate the breaking up of family relationships, that when are good, are valued positively – their breaking up would expose the woman to social exclusion)

3

Development of the concept of ’’Inner Purdah’’, based on the inner acceptance of the rules on modesty, more than on their application on exteriority;

Inside the Factory : Women Inside the Factory : Women Workers, Male SupervisorsWorkers, Male Supervisors

Chhosing to Work in Dhaka - New Chhosing to Work in Dhaka - New Experiences Outside the Family : Experiences Outside the Family : BIGUF, a Women’s Trade UnionBIGUF, a Women’s Trade Union

From Individual Protest to Collective From Individual Protest to Collective ActionsActions

Choosing to Work in London : Choosing to Work in London : Motivations and Kinds of ChoiceMotivations and Kinds of Choice

Num.Categories of Agency and Decision

MakingFre-

quencies %

1 Passive agency/Consensual decision making(There’s not the request to work outside, but in the household) 6 11,3

2

Suppressed agency/Conflictual decision making (the possibility to work outside is not banned, but

conformity to the male decision for komeworking is preferred)

5 9,4

3Negotiated agency/Conflictual decision making (There

are objections even to homeworking, for fear that domestic chores might be neglected)

8 15,1

4 Active agency/Consensual decision making 34 64,2

Total 53 100,0

In all the cases, decision making is related to paid homework

In the majority of cases, the impact of women’s wages on the family budget is considered negligible

Choosing to Work in London : The Role of the CommunityChoosing to Work in London : The Role of the Community

1- The Kabeer’s sample participants, are first generation immigrants, coming from aparticularly conservative district of Bangladesh;- They have absorbed in their country of origin basic norms and social values;

2

- The majority of bangladeshi women came in Great Britain during the eighties, while the majority of men arrived there in the sixties;- While in Bangladesh women transfer voluntarily from the rural areas to Dhaka looking for a job, these women have been sent in the UK by their families to reach their husbands;

3- It’s a selective migration, coming from the same district (Sylhet), whose migrants used the Voucher system to create a highly localized community, where face-to-face relations prevail, a community structured along personal networks reaching the homeland community of origin;

4

- The settlement process of this community is ’’centripetal’’, toward the inside, principally because of the discrimination and the open racism that bangladeshi and other south-asians met in the UK;- in the Borough ofTower Hamlets in the seventies and eighties, was active the National Front, now replaced by the BNP (British National Party), neo-nazi right wing groups, organizing beating expeditions against the immigrant whom went «outside» their ethnic enclaves;- there are less evident forms of institutional racism in the social instituition dealing with labour market and social services;

5- The Bangladeshi community benefits from welfare services and this fact put it in competition for this resource with the poor sectors of the white community of the same BoroughLa comunità usufruisce dei servizi del welfare e questo la pone in concorrenza per questa risorsa, sectors which often adhere to the extremist attitudes of BNP;

Bangla Town, Tower HamletsBangla Town, Tower Hamlets

Brick Lane, Tower HamletsBrick Lane, Tower Hamlets

Bangla Town : the Housing Bangla Town : the Housing EnvironmentEnvironment

Comparing the Two ExperiencesComparing the Two Experiences

Modalities of decision making

Points of control of the management of women wages

Differen-cies in the

Sample

- The women of Dhaka are younger;- In London there are more married women;

Motiva-tions to

Work

- in Dhaka there is a diversity of motivations;- in London prevails the satisfaction of primary survival needs;

The kind of Choice

- in Dhaka the choice is related to work in the factory;- in London, is related to work at home;

Common Traits

-In both the situations develops the concept of an Inner Purdah;-In both the situations prevails the need to keep the family unity, though with different working solutionsi;

Dhaka London- the points of control of the management of women wages are subsequent to the choice of working and are free from the formal control on the use of these wages;- the women wages can be both pooled with the wages of the whole family or remain independent and in both situations women can develop official or masked strategies to decide the use of their wages;- this happens mostly through the control of the information regarding the amount and the use of these wages;

- The points of control of the process are directly linked to the decision to work at home and to the amount of hours required by the work;- in this way, the husbands decide preventively the amount of female wages and they can value if and how its amount will be such to challenge their role as male breadwinners;- in this way, the subordinate and dependent role of women in the management of the process of is continued;

Models of Self Construal : the Model Models of Self Construal : the Model of Markus H.R. e Kitayama S.of Markus H.R. e Kitayama S.

Summary of Key Differences Between an Independent and an Interdependent Construal of Self

Features compared

Independent Interdependent

Definition Saparate from social context Connected with social context

Structure Bounded, unitary, stable Flexible, variable

Important features

Internal, private (abilities, thoughts, feelings)

External, public (statuses, roles, relationships)

Goals- Be unique- Express self- Realize internal attributes- Promote own goals- Be direct: ’’say what’s on your mind’’

- Belong, fit-in- occupy one’s proper place- Engage in appropriate acrion- Promote other’s goal- Be indirect: ’’other’s mind’’

Role of OthersSelf-evaluation : others important for social comparison, reflected appraisal

Self-definition : relationships with others in specific contexts define the self

Basis of self-esteem

Abikity to express self, validate internal attributes

Ability to adjust, restrain self, mantain harmony with social context

Models of Self Construals: Intrapsychic and Models of Self Construals: Intrapsychic and Interpersonal Autonomy (K.P. Ewing Model)Interpersonal Autonomy (K.P. Ewing Model)

Models of Self Construals : the Autonomous-Models of Self Construals : the Autonomous-related Self(C. Kagitcibasi Model)related Self(C. Kagitcibasi Model)

The InterviewsThe Interviews

Personal Constructs derived from Personal Constructs derived from the Intervuewsthe Intervuews

Num. Tipology of Constructs Frequencies

1 Constructs linked to associationism 3

2 Constructs linked to the Integration Process 13

3 Constructs linked to Personal Subjects 3

4 Constructs linked to the concept of Quiet 5

5 Constructs linked to the opposition Italy – Bangladesh

9

6 Constructs linked to Family Subjects 5

7 Constructs linked to the Subject of Women Work

2

8 Other Constructs 1

Total 41

Personal Constructs linked to the Integration ProcessPersonal Constructs linked to the Integration Process

Secondary Issues Constructs and their Oppositions

Identity issues

Knowledge of one’s own language (Identity Conservation)

Lack of knowledge of one’s own language (Identity Loss)

Cosmopolitism, Cirizen’s Rights(Freedom to live everywhere)

Nationalism, localism (limitare l’accesso agli estranei)

Multiculturalism (Openess to other Cultures and Religions)

Assimilazionismo (chiusura nei confronti di altre culture e religioni)

The Look that Accept (Integration, Approaching, Recognition)

The Look that Refuse (Disintegration, Estrangement, Denial of the Other)

Attachment to Traditional Norms (Father) Acceptation of Italian Norms (Son)

Working issues

Working Environment (Integration) Social Milieu (Discrimination)

Security of Employment (Long-term Job) Lack of Security of Employment (Short-term Job)

The World of Work (Integrating Environment)

The World external to Work

Being a Member of Society(also through working)

Being refused by Society (as a Stranger)

Job appropriate to one’s own Education (Self Realization)

Living a situation of Maladjustment in Italy (Lack of Self Realization)

Future prospects

Staying in Italy (If the son would fancy it) Going back to Bangladesh (If the son would fancy it)

Remaining in Italy (if daughter integrates) Going back to Bangladesh (if daughter doesn’t integrate)

General Immigrant (bad housing conditions) Resident (good housing conditions)

Personal Constructs linked to the Opposition Italy – Personal Constructs linked to the Opposition Italy – Bangladesh Bangladesh

Preferences Constructs and their Oppositions

Bangladesh

Good and satisfying relationships with family (in Bangladesh)

Cold relationships with the residents and unsatisfactory relationship with fellow-bangladeshi (in Italy)

Recognition of the spiritual aspects of Life (in Bangladesh)

Repression of the spiritual aspects of Life (in Italy)

Working-class Job(in Italy) Working as a Teacher(in Bangladesh)

Too permissive society (Italy) Society that conforms to the accepted rules (Bangladesh)

Heavy Job in a factory (in Italy) Working as a Social Worker (in Bangladesh)

Italy

To reach a good social family status linked to an adequate income (in Italy)

Good social family status , but lack of an adequate income (in Bangladesh)

Place where to settle permanently(Italy)

Place where to travel occasionally to keep family ties (Bangladesh)

Acquisition of an open mentality (through migration)

Mantaining a closed mentality(remaining in the homeland)

Remaining in Italy (positive) Going back to Bangladesh (negative, impossible)

Considerations on Integration: Considerations on Integration: the Positive Elementsthe Positive Elements

Considerations on Integration: Impediments Considerations on Integration: Impediments and “Padan Fundamentalism”and “Padan Fundamentalism”

The Meaning of Women’s Work: The Meaning of Women’s Work: an Interpretative Modelan Interpretative Model

Confronting 4 situations: the different Confronting 4 situations: the different development of life’s phasesdevelopment of life’s phases

1 – The phases of life

Locations Description

Rural Bangladesh

- We don’t find here a real adolescence, so there’s a direct passage from infancy to womanhood, thanks to precocious marriage, with the following experience of motherhood and then of the other phases of life;

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- After infancy, we see the development of the phase of adolescence, that in the middle class is related to education, while in the new working class is related to entering the factory, facr that helps to posticipate marriage and the experience of motherhood;- then follow the other phases of life;

United Kingdom (London)

- After infancy we find also here the development of an adolescent phase, due to british laws on education, with the result of postponing marriage and motherhood;- these factors have a lesser impact on the arrival of young women from Bangladesh that have married in their country immigrant already resident in UK;- then follow the other phases of life;

Italy (QDP)

- The new generation are yet to come or just arriving, but Italian legislation , with the duty of education till 16 years of age, could help to avoid precocious marriage and motherhood;- these factors have a lesser impact on the arrival of young women from Bangladesh that have married in their country immigrant already resident in Italy;- then follow the other phases of life;

Confronting 4 situations: the different Confronting 4 situations: the different modalities of contracting marriagemodalities of contracting marriage

2 – Marriage

Location Age Modalities Presence of Dowry

Rural Bangladesh

Precocious Arranged YES

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

Delayed by work and education

Arranged and not-arranged YES/NO

United Kingdom (London)

Ritardato dalla scolarizzazione

Arranged (in most cases)

NO

Italy (QDP)

- Arrival in adult age- delayed, not in the case of new arrivals of young

girls or of young girls sent in Bangladesh for

marrying older men

Arranged (?) ?

Confronting 4 situations: different ways of Confronting 4 situations: different ways of deploying women based decision-power in the deploying women based decision-power in the

familyfamily

3 – Decision-making power of women in the family

Location Description

Rural Bangladesh

Scarce

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)Increases as women wages gets more important in the family budget

United Kingdom (London)

Scarce;If present, the women wages are so low to result irrelevant;

Italy (QDP)In general terms the female role remain subordinate, but the presence of women working in factories outside the family, suggests an increase of women decision-making inside the family

Confrontig 4 situations: the role of Confrontig 4 situations: the role of communitycommunity

4 – The Role of Community

Location Description

Rural Bangladesh

- Oppressive toward women, because of the presence of traditional institutions (shalish and samaj);- an emancipative role is played by NGOs, fighting for women empowerment;

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- Dispersion of the original community, that remains anyway the point of reference for the dispersed members;- chances to experiment new forms of living (new social relations in the factory and access to the external world through union activities);- hostile presence of religious fundamentalism;

United Kingdom (London)

- Bangladeshi are british citizen and may benefit of welfare services, but this situation tends to perpetrate traditional social roles, due to the lack of social opening;- the community has an oppressive role but it’s an useful defence against an hostile social contest;- hostile presence of religious fundamentalism;- the community comes from a conservative area of Bangladesh (Sylhet)

Italy (QDP)

- Here Bangladeshi are not yet italian citizen and so the access to welfare is scarce and limited, depending on the ruling of the Council of residence;- basically the community has an oppressive role, but being young, is still secular and not closed on itself;- there are not openly racist attacks on the part of the host community;- has its own autonomous space, into which contrasts vitality;- evident absence of religious fundamentalism.

Confronting 4 situations: women access to Confronting 4 situations: women access to workwork

5 – Women access to workLocation Description

Rural Bangladesh

- prohibition to work outside the house, as required by Purdah, but poor women must work outside the house to survive;- abstension from working outside the house, by women, is socially valued as a sign of high social status for their family;- many NGOs are working to change this aspect of traditional culture;

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- The cultural prohibition remains, but economic development carried on by globalization has seen the coming into being of women workers in the textile industry. These women are not rich, but have a higher availability of money than women of the same social status, but not working;- educated women of the middle class might work for NGOs;- there is a process of modification of the traditional norms and values;

United Kingdom (London)

- Remains the traditional cultural prohibition to work outside the house;- might be accepted to work for an external entrepreneur, but inside the house;- it is accepted, but with reservation, social work for the community (social worker, teacher, etc.);

Italy (QDP)

- Purdah remains in the background, but a relatively free access to social life, permit to confront the way of life of italian families, where many women work outside the house, with that of the bangladeshi families, without resort to accusations such as the low moral status of italian families or a supposed higher morality of bangladeshi traditional values;- the higher wages gained , when confronted with bangladeshi standards, permit to realize the gaining of a higher social status and this allow to a change of attitude in relation to the traditional values on women work.

Confronting 4 situations: acceptance Confronting 4 situations: acceptance and practice of Purdahand practice of Purdah

6 – Acceptance and practice of Purdah

Location DescriptionRural

Bangladesh- Explicit Purdah (respect for traditional norms) and vigilance over their observance by the traditional local institutions (shalish and samaj);- important role for the transformation of traditional moral standards played by NGO;

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- Persistence of traditional norms, but with the development of the new concept of Inner Purdah, that entails an individual interpretation of traditional norms;- presence of traditional purdah;- the dictates of religious traditionalist and fundamentalist are criticized because they show to be of scarce practical utility;

United

Kingdom (London)

- Persistence of traditional norms but with the develpment of the new concept of Inner Purdah, that entails an individual interpretation of traditional norms;- presence of traditional purdah;- presence of religious fundamentalist emphasizing respect of purity;

Italy (QDP)

-Persistence of traditional norms but with the develpment of the new concept of Inner Purdah, that entails an individual interpretation of traditional norms;- Development of mode of behaviour free from Purdah;

Confronting 4 situations: Models of decision-making Confronting 4 situations: Models of decision-making and resource allocationand resource allocation

7 – Models of decision-making and resource allocation

LocationDescription

Modalities of decision-making Modalities of resource allocation

Rural Bangladesh

- Reluctant and active agency;- uncontested or consensual decision making;

- Economic needs and optionless choices;

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- Reluctant and active agency;- uncontested, consensual, negotiated and conflicting decision making;- the conflict is related to the possibility to work in a garment factory;

- Economic needs and optionless choices;- contributions, claims and joint welfare maximisation;- strategic gender needs;- transformative choices and strategic gender interests;

United Kingdom (London)

- Passive, suppressed, negotiated and active agency;- consensual and conflicting decision making;- the conflict is related to the possibility to get a paid work at home;

- Economic needs and optionless choices;- contributions, claims and joint welfare maximisation;- strategic gender needs;

Italy (QDP)

- We presume:- active and negotiated agency;- consensual and negotiated decision making;- the modalities of agency and of decision making are relared to the possibility of outhouse work;- is likely a conflict between the symbolic representation and the reality of female work;

- Contributions, claims and joint welfare maximisation;- strategic gender needs;- transformative choices and strategic gender interests;

Confronting 4 situations: The social Confronting 4 situations: The social status of the Communitystatus of the Community

8 – The social status of the Community (Specifically relating to the women working outside the family)

Location Description

Rural Bangladesh

- Outhouse work is tolerated only for poor women;- for middle class women, to follow the rules of Purdah relating to women work is a sign of higher social status;- the community is extremely economically stratified;

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- Working in the factory is of interest for the new working class women, coming from the rural districts of the country;- middle class women are more educated and might work fot thr NGO, performing social work;- extreme social stratification;

United Kingdom (London)

- Great part of the community belongs to the working class and to the urban proletariat; - we find the middle class in the entrepreneurial sectors of textile and ethnic catering;- the bangladeshi community is in conflict with the white poors community over the allocation of welfare scarce resources;

Italy (QDP)

- The community, almost completely, belongs to the working class;- we find examples of entrepreneurial activity in the trading sector (ethnic food shops, DVD shops, phone centers);- the community can’t benefit from welfare, because of its non UE origin and because in Italy social welfare is very scarce, except for the National Health Service, that is open to them;- the community and the family structures are still tendentially enlarged and form together a self-help system, an autonomous welfare system, for its members.

Confronting 4 situations: Models of Self ConstrualConfronting 4 situations: Models of Self Construal

9 – Models of Self Construal

Location DescriptionRural

Bangladesh - Tipical situation of construal of the traditional model of Interdependent Self (Heteronomous-related Self)

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

- Compresence of models of Interdependent Self (Heteronomous-related Self) with models of Autonomous-related Self (when in the presence of increased intrapsychic and relational autonomy)

United Kingdom(London)

- Model of construal of the traditional model of Interdependent Self (Heteronomous-related Self)- The community is closed on itself and is not supporting relational opening

Italy (QDP)

- Compresence of models of Interdependent Self (Heteronomous-related Self) with models of Autonomous-related Self (when in the presence of increased intrapsychic and relational autonomy)

- possible development of models Independent Self (Autonomous-separate Self), thanks to processes of cultural integration and assimilation.

Confronting 4 situations: Female Confronting 4 situations: Female Identity ModelsIdentity Models

10 – Female Identy Models

Location DescriptionRural

Bangladesh- The female identity model accepted is that proposed by traditional village culture

Urban Bangladesh

(Dhaka)

-The traditional model is revised, though accepting its fundamental elements (modesty, the subordination to man as a gurdian, etc.);- also the concept of purdah is revised, with the development of the concept of inner purdah;- the ties with the village of origin are kept, but are emphasized different choices (from consumerism, to the choice to invest on children education);

United Kingdom (London)

-The traditional model persists, also emphatizing it in opposition to the british and european model of emancipated woman;- changes in the concept of purdah, with development of the concept of inner purdah;

Italy (QDP)

- Though accepting the fundamental elements of the traditional model, new aspects are integrated into it, namely women work outside the house, consumerism, strategical interests and gender transformative choices;- there are attempts to integrste the traditionasl model with the italian female model, that is not seen as threatening as the british one.

Future Perspectives: Two Future Perspectives: Two Antithetics pathsAntithetics paths

Future Perspectives : Confronting Future Perspectives : Confronting Models and InteractionsModels and Interactions

Future Perspectives: the Future Perspectives: the Interacting FactorsInteracting Factors