Not so liquid living? Production - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 29
About This Presentation
Title:

Not so liquid living? Production

Description:

Constraints 2: Marriage & domesticity. Pateman: sexual contract' framework ... Motherhood and domesticity continue to structure the lives of women albeit in ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:23
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 30
Provided by: soh3
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Not so liquid living? Production


1
Not so liquid living? Production reproduction
in Bangladeshi Pakistani womens lives.
  • Harriet Bradley
  • Presentation to GENET conference
  • March 2008

2
Aims
  • To challenge dominant sociological accounts of
    modernity
  • To explore the impacts of reproduction on womens
    productive lives
  • To do so using the framework of intersectionality
    by focusing on a specific gendered and ethnicised
    context the lives of British Bangladeshi
    Pakistani (B/P) women

3
Liquidity and choice
  • Liquid modernity a condition in which social
    forms (structures that limit individual choices,
    institutions that guard repetitions of routines,
    patterns of acceptable behaviour) can no longer
    and are not expected to keep their shape for
    long, because they decompose and melt faster than
    the time it takes to cast them, and once they are
    cast for them to set.
  • (Bauman Liquid Times (2007) 1)

4
New big narratives Bauman, Beck, Giddens
  • Collapse of collectivities, rise of individualism
  • Disembedding from old communities, class
    loyalties
  • Individuals facing multiple choices,
    obligations to choose and ethos of
    self-responsibility
  • Rampant unchecked consumerism
  • Transcendence of old barriers of time space

5
Whose modernity?
  • This framework does not apply to many (most?)
    sections of UK society, yet is still sociological
    orthodoxy
  • Most peoples lives are embedded and restricted
    temporally and spatially
  • Most peoples lives are framed by multiple
    positionings in the nexus of social divisions
    class, gender, ethnicity etc ie intersectionality

6
Intersections
  • Class- Many Bangladeshi Pakistani families
    live in deprived areas and experience
    working-class disadvantage. Middle-class minority
    can play the qualifications card, but do not
    benefit from it as much as white women can
  • Gender Womens lives are defined by sex-typing
    at work and at home
  • Ethnicity Ethnic stereotypes operate, but also
    B/P communities also display some distinctive
    practices values
  • Religion- Muslim groups are currently demonised
    and are also highly visible because of dress
    practices

7
The research Ethnic minority women and
workplace cultures (with G. Healy, C. Forson
P. Kaul)
  • Part of EOCs Moving On Up initiative
  • Carried out in 2006-7
  • Focus on three groups among UKs BME population
    considered particularly disadvantaged in the
    labour market Black Caribbeans, Bangladeshis,
    Pakistanis

8
METHODS
  • A multi-level research design
  • Scoping interviews 23 (covering public, private
    voluntary sectors, TUs)
  • Focus groups 11 (3 London, 3 Bristol, 1
    Birmingham, 4 NHS)
  • Six case studies LA, HEI, retail, health care, 2
    finance sector
  • 10 interviews with women, 2 with managers
  • Several interviews with ethnic business owners
    and employees
  • 130 BME women interviewed

9
Constraints 1 Place, time
  • Women do not have free access to all the worlds
    spaces
  • In many public spaces women face the threat of
    sexual and racist violence
  • Cultural and religious ascriptions put limits on
    where women may be permitted to work
  • P/B women newly arrived from Asia experience
    alien spaces.

10
Restrictions on choice
  • I think location is a big thing for me, cos my
    parents dont want me to go like all the way to
    Cribbs Causeway. (Bangladeshi woman)
  • I mean I think Bangladeshi women are capable of
    doing lots of things at home, rather than going
    out. Because thats the problem. Because most of
    us women we dont have a car. (Bangladeshi woman)
  • The nursing profession is not seen as a good
    profession at all. Firstly you are involved a
    lot more with male patients and the male
    colleagues than a female. And also youve got
    shift roles to do and youve got the nights,
    hours in a very odd pattern which does not go
    with the Muslim culture. The Muslim beliefs.
    (Pakistani woman).

11
Race and space
  • There was some boys and there was a swing, and
    one of my son wanted to use the swing. And then
    he was spitting on my son and saying What are
    you doing here? Get out of our country and
    everything Paki and all that. .. . And they
    were spitting on us, they were telling us to get
    out of the park and everything. (Bangladeshi
    woman)
  • Where I live, the British National Party was
    based there, the headquarters and most of the
    people there are a bit and we dont really go on
    the High Street, its like we get abuse all the
    time. Even now we avoid the High Street.
    (Bangladeshi woman)
  • its usually like you have to come to the
    Jobcentre and then its just like for women,
    going to a Jobcentre is like whoa, its a big
    thing you know. (Bangladeshi woman)
  • She says all her family is here so she doesnt
    want to go far away. Because she likes it
    because theres Bengali people here and stuff.
    (Bangladeshi woman translating for another).

12
No go zones
  • I mean I want to become an accountant. With
    things like that there's always strings attached
    where you have to be able to freely mix, go to
    parties, go to certain events, to be known, to be
    recognised and thats something Islamically I
    couldnt go because Islam does say youre not
    allowed to free mix for the sake of socialising.
    Yes if its for business fine but where do you
    draw the line? I mean my brothers an accountant
    as well and he told me he had to go to the pub,
    some bars, to exclusive places. It wasnt a
    scene where he wanted to go, but because to get
    to the top you need to mingle with the right sort
    of people and thats where you find them. I think
    Islam restricts us in that sense in the Western
    culture because were really not allowed to do
    that. And I think its harder for a woman to be
    in that arena than a man. I love my religion and
    there are certain things that I wouldnt
    compromise and that again is bars, pubs, clubs.
    Its a no go zone for me at all and thats a
    personal preference for me as well. Not just
    Islamic.

13
Constraints 2 Marriage domesticity
  • Pateman sexual contract framework remains
    valid today
  • Family expectations put limits on the choices
    women can make about jobs
  • Domestic labour in large, poor families can be
    heavy exhausting
  • Women may be required to contribute labour to
    family businesses

14
Marriage norms endogamy
  • She did go back home to get married in fact,
    because my father was under a lot of pressure.
    External family pressures really dont help women
    in our society. After marrying my sister off my
    father realised thats something hed never do
    again because its too much for the daughter,
    bringing somebody over who doesnt speak the
    language, doesnt know the culture, money issues,
    financial burden and the rest of it (Bangladeshi
    woman).

15
Domestic rules
  • When you live with in-laws theres an automatic
    cultural law that you have to wake up in the
    morning and make breakfast. At lunchtime eat the
    food, feed the parents. In the evening cook
    again because you need to feed the family. And
    its the girl who does it. And thats the
    tradition. Thankfully my in-laws arent so much
    like that but still its a cultural thing which I
    have to fulfil. Whether I fulfil it to the max
    is another question, but I have to attempt it and
    thats quite daunting. Even though theyre quite
    modern that still hangs on us and thats
    something we cant get away from. And its nice
    though, its fantastic. Id love somebody to do
    that for my mother. Shes not getting any
    younger. So I guess its give and take. If I
    expect if for my own mother why wouldnt somebody
    else expect it for their mother? And because its
    a cultural norm you accept it. (Bangladeshi
    woman)
  • A lot of men feel as though for a wife to work
    means that you cannot afford to run your
    household. So its a pride issue as well. And
    also you do have your other issue of selfishness
    of some men wanting to have their fresh hot rice
    and curry at lunch time plus evening. I will not
    eat the same curry twice. (Bangladeshi woman)

16
Constraints 3. Motherhood
  • Having children shown repeatedly to be major
    block to womens career progression (Bradley 1999
    etc)
  • Recent research
  • Gregory Connolly professional women found to
    move down career ladder after maternity
  • Paull birth of first child leads to move to PT
    wk
  • YouGov poll 2007, Cromer poll 2004 showed
    widespread maternal profiling among hirers
  • Children become priority for most women at this
    stage
  • Long hours culture inhibits mothers working, so
    many choose PT work
  • Family-friendly policies have limited impact

17
Maternal responsibilities
  • But I again think that being a housewife is a job
    in itself. Its a very important job. Because I
    have six nephews and nieces and just think to
    myself, gosh, their mothers the first point of
    contact. If they dont bring them up well or
    teach them the good things in life when theyre
    young, and if theyre out at work they dont get
    to spend that quality time with the child, and
    then you have problems when the child grows up,
    feels neglected and starts rebelling and the rest
    of it. So how do you deal with that? But then
    again people work around it. If you had extended
    family, grandparents maybe you can leave your
    child with thats fantastic. But a lot of people
    dont have that luxury. And again childcare,
    its expensive you know. (Bangladeshi women).

18
Family comes first
  • I think maybe because Muslim women their main
    drive is their family. First and foremost its
    their family. Because for me yes, I come to work
    but always my number one priority is the family.
    Maybe I come to work because I cant afford to
    stay at home. So economically yes, they will like
    to do well but their comfort and their
    well-offness is in terms of having a happy
    family. (Pakistani woman)
  • Id probably look for part time work and not a
    completely full-time post these days, simply
    because you know my daughters are still young,
    they still need mummy all the time. I had my
    little one who used to say Well dont go all
    day, I dont want you to go all day.(Bangladeshi
    woman)

19
Different priorities?
  • I think culture does come into it because being a
    Muslim my priority is my family so my aim would
    be to go home, rather than go to the pub and get
    drunk or whatever so I think that there is a
    cultural difference, a priority difference..
    Maybe Im being superficial between white and
    coloured people. I know my own community, our
    priority would be to go home and be with our
    family, with our kids whatever, rather than go to
    the pub, get drunk, have a good time. But again
    like I said I could be generalising. (Pakistani
    woman)

20
Constraints 4. Racism sexism
  • Muslim women face Islamophobia because of their
    religion
  • They also face colour racism stereotyping
    because of their appearance
  • There is hostility and racist abuse from clients
    and customers
  • Both racist sexist assumptions bar women from
    some jobs from promotions

21
Racism and stereotyping
  • What happens is if you turn up to a workplace
    with shalwar kameez with the scarf round your
    head, you get treated differently. Cos
    recently Ive started to wear more shalwar kameez
    at workBut I just feel when I walk into a
    meeting, the response I get now, you know, they
    dont see you as not the manager typeOr you
    know not a professional Im doing exactly the
    same type of work that I used to do wearing you
    know like a western suit. (Bangladeshi woman)
  • I had it a couple of months ago where he called
    me a Muslim terrorist and what have you Because
    he wanted to open an account and he didnt have
    the correct ID. I explained it to him, its
    because of money laundering and its because
    obviously the procedures that weve got. And he
    said Its your lot that are the terrorists that
    do money laundering not me .(Pakistani woman).

22
Visual perceptions
  • Nasiha In some jobs appearance is everything
    isnt it? I mean when you wear your headscarf
    and all that and youve got dark skin..
    Sometimes, some secretary jobs because you know
    youre the first point of contact. You have to
    look presentable and all that. If you have a
    headscarf some white people
  • Yasmin They might threatened especially now most
    of the people after the terrorists they feel even
    on the bus if youre just sitting there if youve
    got a headscarf they think you know, God knows
    what's going to happen.even if we dont do
    anything we wont feel approachable and people
    like the people that are recruiting you - might
    think that the customers not going to feel
    very.(Bangladeshi women)

23
People differ
  • I feel Ive fully integrated but I know that
    other women at work who cover their head or dress
    in a more ethnic way comments are made and
    theyre not promoted as they should be
    (Pakistani).
  • You want to be normal. You dont want to feel
    different, you dont want to feel special.
    Theres no reason to. You know were just
    average were like everybody else. Yes were
    slightly different in ideas and thoughts but no
    two people are the same. (Bangladeshi

24
Racist bars to multiethnic harmony
  • The anti Muslim and the media promotion of
    possible potential terrorism without any real
    grounds to it, its making moderate Muslims like
    myself worry what the future is here and whether
    were going to be discriminated against. I
    don't think we have a voice. There isnt anybody
    who will listen to people like us. I understand
    there are the disaffected youth in the minority,
    the extremists, but their behaviour and the
    retaliation or how the police or the government
    are coping with it its causing real issues for
    people like us. I dont think there's any real
    communication and thats what needs to be
    addressed. And it will have a knock-on effect on
    where we work, how we are seen on the street.
    Most of us do want to integrate but Im not sure
    they will be allowed to and thats going to
    affect our lives, our childrens lives.
    (Pakistani woman)

25
CONCLUSIONS
  • B/P womens lives are very limited as to choice
  • They are placed at particular intersections of
    class, gender, ethnicity, religion
  • Class- m/c women more likely to integrate to
    have quals, careers
  • Maternity is a major source of lack of choice for
    all ethnic groups of women, marriage more of a
    constraint for B/P and marriage is almost
    universal for them
  • Maternal penalty a powerful effect

26
Conclusions
  • Motherhood and domesticity continue to structure
    the lives of women albeit in different ways
    according to the patterns of intersectionality

27
Experiencing the maternal dilemma femme maison
  • I have been plunged into social and
    psychological conditions of mothering that are
    actually worse than my mother encountered in the
    1950s. Social mobility has meant no grandparents
    to call on and no extended family networks for
    support. Lack of funding for nannies, the tyranny
    of the 3pm school gate and the isolation of the
    modern nuclear family means that, in this
    so-called post-feminist era, I have little more
    choice than my own mother.

28
CONCLUSIONS
  • It is quite untrue that structures that limit
    individual choices, institutions that guard
    repetitions of routines, patterns of acceptable
    behaviour are melting decomposing.
  • Reproduction production are much more central
    preoccupations for these women than consumption
  • Family and communities remain powerful collective
    forces
  • There arent many people in Muslim families who
    talk of the importance of their being happy,
    because the whole unit of the family is where
    your pleasure would have to be subsumed (Hanif
    Kureishi)
  • The big narrative of modernity is
    masculinist, fitting only the lives of w/c white
    males

29
Related publications
  • Gender (Polity 2007)chapter on reproduction
  • Ethnic minority and workplaces cultures what
    works and what doesnt (H.Bradley, G.Healy,
    C.Forson and P.Kaul) EOC 2006
  • Ethnicity Gender at Work (H. Bradley G.
    Healy) forthcoming, Palgrave July 2008
  • Gendered futures production and reproduction in
    womens lives In F.Simonstein (ed) Reprogenetics
    the Future of Gender Springer, forthcoming
    2009
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com