Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Cultural Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Full Professor of Sociology, Garmsar Branch Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran.

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to know and understand the experience of female heads of the household from the role of breadwinner and how to implement it as the head of the household. In this study, to achieve the goals of the research, the foundational data theory was used, and data collection was done through semi-structured interviews with 33 female heads of households in Behshahr city. Open coding led to the emergence of four main categories:1-household headship; 2- The poverty of female guardians; 3- Loneliness of women in managing the household; 4- Making money and earning bread. After accepting the role of guardian and breadwinner, these women perform their economic activities in two ways:1-economic activities from inside the home; 2- Economic activities outside the home. They are placed in two paradigm models:1-self as an agent of change, 2-self as needing support. In the first paradigm, women's understanding of femininity is the ability to change in life and succeed in goals. However, women in the second paradigm do not have the necessary self-confidence to be independent in life, and their understanding of femininity prevents them from trying to change their lives without the support of others. The findings show that in how women play the role of head of the household; Family, social, cultural factors, gender, and the support of government institutions are influential; But the core category shows the importance of women's understanding of their femininity, so government interventions and support should be done according to this feature.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Ahmadnia, Sh. (2017). Review of the Gender, Society and Sociology book. Social science Quarterly Book Review, 13, 31-42. (In Persian)
Akbari Torkamani, N., Ghasemi, V., & Aqababaee, E. (2018). Empowering female-headed households in district 5 of Isfahan with emphasis on occupation factor. Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological16(3), 7-36. https://www.doi.org/10.22051/jwsps.2019.19887.1704 (In Persian)
Alirezanejad, S. (2017). Ethical Principles in Social Research. Garmsar: Islamic Azad University Publications. (In Persian)
Arabkhani, A., Seyed Mirzaei, S. M., & Kaldi, A. R. (2019). Developing a Conceptual Model Using Fundamental Theory in Empowering Rural Women: (Case Study on Eshgabad county of Neishaboor City). Khorasan Socio-Cultural Studies, 13(3), 89-116.   https://doi.org/10.22034/fakh.2019.197529.1351 (In Persian)
Azkia, M., & Imani Jajrami, H. (2011). Applied Research Methods; Application of Grounded Theory. Tehran: Kayhan Publications. (In Persian)
Biddle B. J. (1965). Role Theory Expectations, Identities, and Behaviors, Academic Press, New York San Francisco London Subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publisher.
 Boolouri, M., & Alirezanejad, S. (2021). Redefining Identity for Women Who Lost Their Spouses: Research in districts of Afsariyeh and Abbasabad Tehran. Woman in Development & Politics19(1), 141-166.        https://doi.org/10.22059/jwdp.2021.314004.1007917 (In Persian)
 Doust Mohammadi, A. (2008). Social Role and Social Capital Theory. Journal of Social Science Education Growth, 41, 35-28. (In Persian)
Fotros, M. H., & Ghodsi, S. G. (2018). Comparing Multidimensional Poverty of Female and Men Headed Households in Urban and Rural areas in Iran by Alkire-Foster Method. refahj18(69), 227-185.            http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/refahj.18.69.227 (In Persian)
Ghorbani, F., Mohseni, R. A., & Ansari H. (2019). A Meta-Analysis of the Needs and Priorities of Life for Women-Headed Households with a Sociological Approach. Refahj, 19(72), 55-90.          http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/refahj.19.72.55 (In Persian)
Goodarzi, S. (2019). Sociological explanation of acquiring professional skills and its impact on the employment of women heads of households. Journal of Work and Society, 201, 54-64. (In Persian)
 Hashemi, M. S. (2018). Investigating the barriers to rehabilitation of women heads of households covered by welfare in Karaj. Tehran, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch. (In Persian)
Hussain, I. (2009). Problems of working women in Karachi, Pakistan. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Jaliliyan, S., & Saadi, H. (2016). The role of rural women’s home business and empowerment on family economic decision-making (Case study: Islam-Abad Gharb County). Regional planning6(21), 129-142.  https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.22516735.1395.6.21.10.8 (In Persian)
Kaldi, A., & Salahshouri, P. (2012). The investigation of social support's effect on women empowerment. Journal of Iranian Social Development Studies, 4(4), 7-22. (In Persian)
Kermani, M., Mazloum Khorasani, M., Behravan, H., & Noghani, M. (2012). Empowering Female-Headed Households Case: Women Working in Kosar Centers Affiliated to Tehran Municipality in 2012. Iranian Journal of Sociology14(3), 116-148.      https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.17351901.1392.14.3.5.9 (In Perian)
Keshavarz Shekari, A., & Azarkeshb, A. (2017). Criticism and restructuration of Sara Longwe’s Theory on the indices of women breadwinners’ empowerment. Journal of Islam and Social Sciences8(16), 5-35.      https://doi.org/10.30471/soci.2017.1319 (In Persian)
Liu, C., Esteve, A., & Treviño, R. (2017). Female-headed households and living conditions in Latin AmericaWorld Development90, 311-328.
Mohamadpour, A., & Alizadeh, M. (2011). Women and the culture of poverty: A qualitative study of the family-leading women supported by Sari Welfare Organization. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Journal of Social Sciences8(1), 165-197. https://doi.org/10.22067/jss.v0i0.18993 (In Persian)
 Momenizadeh, N. (2014). Comparative Analysis of Female Heads of Households. Journal of Economics3, 120-95. (In Persian)
 
Mousavi, M. H., & Azaribani, B. (2017). Measuring Intergenerational Poverty Trap among Generation Age of Woman Headed Households. Quarterly Journal of Woman and Society7(27), 135-154.           https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.20088566.1395.7.27.7.5 (In Persian)
Nega, F., Mathijs, E., Deckers, J., & Tollens, E. (2009). Gender, social capital and empowerment in northern Ethiopia.
Rabiei, M. (2017). Multiple Roles in women Heads of Households, Tehran: Sociologists Publications. (In Persian)
Raghfar, H., & Soleimani, M. (2016). Explaining the relationship between economic, cultural and educational factors and poverty alleviation of women (Case study: Divorced women and widows of Aleshtar city). Woman in Development&Politics14(1), 51-68.   https://doi.org/10.22059/jwdp.2016.58661. (In Persian)
Safiri, Kh., & Imanian, S. (2009). Sociology of Gender. Tehran: Sociologists Publications. (In Persian)
Savadian, P. (2012). Generation gap in expecting roles from girls (Case of Study: High School Girls of Garmsar City and Their Mothers). Doctoral dissertation: Tehran. Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch. (In Persian)
Sazagara, P. (1998). A Look at Sociology with an Emphasis on Culture, Tehran: Kavir Publications. (In Persian)
Shalchi, S., & Azimi, M. (2019). The feminization of poverty in Iran in the last three decades. Women Studies, https://doi.org/10.30465/ws.2019.4363. (In Persian)
Shiyani, M., & Zare, H. (2020). A meta-analysis of female-headed household studies in Iran. Sociological Review26(2), 67-97.       https://doi.org/10.22059/jsr.2020.75859. (In Persian)
Tesfamariam, T. W. (2007). Livelihoods and Coping Strategies: A Study of Female-Headed Households in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Wienclaw, R. A. (2016). Gender Roles & Equality. The Editors of Salem Press Salem Press, p. 119.