Document Type : Research/Original/Regular

Authors

• fatemeh sadrnabavi ¹
• Majid Fouladiyan ²
• Hanieh Daneshvar ³
• mariam aghasizadeh ⁴

¹ Member of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

² Assistant Professor of Social Sciences Department of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad,Mashhad,Iran

³ Bachelor's, Master of Cultural Studies, Allameh Tabatabai University of Tehran, Tehran , Iran

⁴ Master of Sociology, Islamic Azad University of Mashhad,Mashhad,Iran

Abstract

In today's society, the phenomenon of "female-headed households" is increasing for a variety of reasons. This group of women is one of the marginalized groups in society that face many social, cultural and economic hardships. In this research, we tried to narrate the perceptions, feelings, pains, sufferings and finally the story of their lives by providing the possibility of recording the life experiences of these women. The most important question of this research was what concepts can be narrated in the experience of these women? And how do they understand, interpret, and narrate these experiences? This research was conducted in the form of qualitative methodology with the help of narrative analysis. For this purpose, we conducted in-depth and in-depth interviews with fifteen women heads of households under the auspices of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in Mashhad. The experiences of these women include the following major narratives: childbearing, early motherhood, low level of economic and social capital, low level of cultural capital, temporary and insecure work, unsuccessful marriage and separation. It can be narrated from the spouse, insecurities and social pressures, burnout, loneliness, and endless worry and anxiety.

Highlights

Background and Purpose

The growth of the family structure and the diversity of its forms is one of the most visible emblems of the twenty-first century (Kim et al. 2010; Mortelmans & Defever, 2018). Globally, the breadth of statistics indicates a sizable presence of women-headed households (Hübgen, 2018). According to official statistics, the increase in women-headed households has happened in Iran. The latest census indicated that female-headed households are disproportionately concentrated in the lower income deciles, accounting for more than 71% of all households; this demonstrates the severity of the poverty in these households. Because of their gender, being in a subordinate position in the male/female duality, being in the position of head of the household, whose social and cultural structure is considered masculine, and their economic, social, and class backgrounds, women-headed households supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in Mashhad are marginalized. Over the last few decades, the concept of women's lived experience has become one of the most essential themes in feminist theories (Humm, 2003). The most crucial technique in these theories is direct reference to women and listening to their narratives about their lived experiences. The goal of this research is to focus on the lived experiences of women-headed households supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in Mashhad, to examine their life stories in detail, to organize their total narratives under a common narrative, and to provide a narrative model for their lived experiences.

Methods

The research was conducted using a qualitative narrative research method. The sampling technique is deliberate, and key informants were used to gain access to the research samples. Through their employment at the Mashhad Relief Foundation and their extensive familiarity with the research participants, research informants introduced potential volunteers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 women-headed household supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation. These women are typically between the ages of 30 and 55, are low-literate or illiterate, are frequently divorced as a result of their husband's serious addiction, and are in charge of the household. Several of these women have assumed the role of head of household following their husbands' deaths, disabilities, unemployment, or imprisonment. The narrative analysis method was utilized to examine the collected interviews (Flick, 2008: 193). Narrative analysis serves as a bridge between "a deep and confined narrative of an experience" and "a more comprehensive examination of structural similarities" (Zakaei, 2008). By coding the interviews and comparing case analyses, a narrative model of the experiences of women-headed households participating in the research is constructed in the form of multiple macro-narratives.

Results

Table 1

Narrative model of experiences of women-headed households supported by Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in Mashhad

Nine macro-narratives were created to represent the lived experiences of the women who participated in this study. Child marriage and early motherhood are explained by the sub processes of "poverty" and "cultural poverty and social traditions." Low economic and social capital can be described in four sub-processes: "Low economic and social capital in the paternal home," "Low economic and social capital in the spouse's household," "Money problems and poverty in women-headed households," and the "vicious cycle of poverty and its transmission to children."The lack of cultural capital can be explained through the sub processes of "Inadequate cultural capital transfer from parents to children" and "Inadequate education and low literacy level." The macro-narrative of "Unsuccessful marriage and divorce" can be broken down into three sub-processes: "Spouse's addiction," "Spouse's unemployment and irresponsibility," and "Forced marriage."Temporary, unpromising, and unsafe work can be described in the form of sub-processes of "Unemployment and a reliance only on the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundations", and "standing on one's own two feet and performing physical labor at the lowest level". Insecurities, adversities, social pressures can be narrated in the sub-processes of "Violence, gender-based social harassment" and "domestic violence." Burnout can be described in the form of two sub-processes: "mental and emotional burnout", and "physical burnout and physical disability". Loneliness pain is expressed in the sub-processes of "Loss of a spouse", "lack of family support", and "Refusal to remarry". Continuous worry and anxiety can be expressed in the form of two sub-processes: "An uncertain future, a combination of fear and hope", and "child custody, endless anxiety".

Discussion and conclusion

This study attempted to make the narration of a subset of the community's lowest members to be heard, and by reinforcing the voice and revealing their unheard stories; it contributed to the presentation of a female narrative of the concept of head of household.

Early marriage and subsequent early motherhood, a lack of economic and social capital in the paternal home, a lack of cultural capital after marriage and while serving as head of the household, insecure and unsafe work, unsuccessful marriage and divorce, the experience of insecurity and social hardships, physical and mental burnout as a result of poverty and the heavy burden of living, loneliness and pain, and finally, constant worry and anxiety are the shared experiences of women-headed households participated in this study.

"Sustained employment" is the most significant necessity in the lives of women-headed households, according to the findings of this study. Skills-building courses, stable, secure, and insured employment, and active policies to adapt the employment conditions of women-headed households with their family responsibilities, such as childcare services and flexible working hours, would all be steps toward resolving the problems that these women face (Van Lancker, 2018). Because these women and their children are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and societal pressures, social policymakers and social welfare researchers must focus not only on women-headed households, but also on their children

Keywords

• women heads of households
• Narrative analysis
• lived experience

20.1001.1.23452692.1401.10.1.4.3

Main Subjects

• Woman and family