Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict

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dc.contributor.advisorMoore, Elenaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorButton, Kirsty Allenen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-20T07:48:53Z
dc.date.available2017-01-20T07:48:53Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractLow-income, African female-headed households represent a large segment of households in South Africa. Despite this, little is known about how financial and non-financial resources are provided, controlled and used within these households. Less is known about how these dynamics shape intergenerational relationships and positions of power within female-headed households. This thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of these issues by examining how the household economies of fourteen low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha operated on a day-to-day basis. It also sought to understand how two generations of household members experienced these practices. Through the collection and analysis of qualitative data, this thesis shows that the households were sites of support as household members relied on each other for various forms of support. However, many of the female household heads bore the greatest responsibility for the physical and financial maintenance of their households. Furthermore, the findings build upon existing understandings of low-income, multi-generational households as also being sites of negotiation and contestation. The unequal burden of care experienced by the older women and the patterns of support provided by other household members was often the outcome of intergenerational negotiation. The participants' experiences of these dynamics shed light on the shifting positions of power within their households. The older women struggled to maintain their authority and negotiate for financial and practical assistance from their younger household members. As a result, the provision of support and perceptions about their interpersonal relationships were framed by experiences of intergenerational conflict and feelings of ambivalence. The findings highlight experiences of multi-generational family life and inequality in a context where feelings of obligation, broader socio-economic conditions and the nature of state support may constrain how the participants were able to provide support and handle instances of intergenerational conflict.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationButton, K. A. (2016). <i>Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22841en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationButton, Kirsty Allen. <i>"Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22841en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationButton, K. 2016. Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Button, Kirsty Allen AB - Low-income, African female-headed households represent a large segment of households in South Africa. Despite this, little is known about how financial and non-financial resources are provided, controlled and used within these households. Less is known about how these dynamics shape intergenerational relationships and positions of power within female-headed households. This thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of these issues by examining how the household economies of fourteen low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha operated on a day-to-day basis. It also sought to understand how two generations of household members experienced these practices. Through the collection and analysis of qualitative data, this thesis shows that the households were sites of support as household members relied on each other for various forms of support. However, many of the female household heads bore the greatest responsibility for the physical and financial maintenance of their households. Furthermore, the findings build upon existing understandings of low-income, multi-generational households as also being sites of negotiation and contestation. The unequal burden of care experienced by the older women and the patterns of support provided by other household members was often the outcome of intergenerational negotiation. The participants' experiences of these dynamics shed light on the shifting positions of power within their households. The older women struggled to maintain their authority and negotiate for financial and practical assistance from their younger household members. As a result, the provision of support and perceptions about their interpersonal relationships were framed by experiences of intergenerational conflict and feelings of ambivalence. The findings highlight experiences of multi-generational family life and inequality in a context where feelings of obligation, broader socio-economic conditions and the nature of state support may constrain how the participants were able to provide support and handle instances of intergenerational conflict. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict TI - Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22841 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22841
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationButton KA. Household economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflict. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Sociology, 2016 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22841en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Sociologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherSociologyen_ZA
dc.titleHousehold economies of low-income, African female-headed households in Khayelitsha: intergenerational support, negotiation and conflicten_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMSocScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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