Employment, masculinities and domestic violence in 'fragile' contexts: Pakistani women in Pakistan and the UK

This article investigates women's experiences of domestic violence, in two contexts rated as fragile and stable in global indices: Pakistan, and the UK. The research shows the importance of understanding how intersectional disadvantages, based on gender and ethnic minority status among others, can lead to some groups of women experiencing life as inhabitants of a ‘fragile context within a stable state'

Shaping healthy communities: a report on the second symposium on the role of local authorities in reducing health inequalities.

Sheffield City Council achieved Beacon Status for its work on reducing health inequalities in 2007. The Council is hosting a series of three symposiums to promote more effective dialogue and action in this important area of local authority (LA) business. The first symposium - was held on 5th November 2008. This aimed to share an understanding of what works in tackling health inequalities and how, collectively, the region can develop significant and sustainable programmes of work in this area. A report of the symposium was compiled by staff of the Centre for Health and Social Care. The second symposium - was held on 20th July 2009. Its focus was LA practice in tackling health inequality: what are they doing well and where could practice be improved. This document reports from the second symposium

Women's narratives of economic abuse and financial strategies in Britain and South Asia

Objectives: The objectives of the paper are to (a) extend current conceptualizations of economic abuse by incorporating diverse perspectives from South-Asian women in Britain, India, and Pakistan and (b) present a typology of financial strategies used by the women to deal with economic abuse. Method: Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, 84 married women with dependent children from South-Asian backgrounds were recruited through community networks in Britain (Pakistani Muslims n = 23; Gujarati Hindus n = 12), India (Gujarati Hindus n = 26), and Pakistan (Pakistani Muslims, n = 23) for in-depth interviews. Results: The women’s accounts included 4 kinds of economic abuse recognized in current literature, (a) preventing the acquisition of economic resources, (b) preventing the use of resources, (c) refusing to contribute, and (d) exploiting women’s resources and/or generating economic costs, as well as 2 unique abuses, (e) exploiting women’s customary marriage gifts including jahez/dahej, haq meher, bari, and streedhan, and (f) jeopardizing women’s long-term finances (e.g., through transnational investments). In addition, the results illuminate 4 financial strategies used by the women that have not previously been identified in the literature. These can be typified as (a) material, (b) confrontational, (c) mediational, and (d) developmental. Conclusions: This paper contributes new understandings on the globally pervasive but understudied phenomenon of economic abuse by including the perspectives of South-Asian women living in Britain and in South Asia. It challenges notions that South-Asian women are submissive or victims by highlighting the financial strategies they used in agentic resistance to economic abuse

Using participatory, observational and ‘Rapid Appraisal’ methods: researching health and illness

This chapter reports on the experiences and lessons learned through the use of participatory, locality-based data generation methods to research the intersections between long-term illhealth and poverty among four different ethnic 'communities'

'I feel my Dad every moment!': memory, emotion and embodiment in British South Asian fathering practices

This chapter examines the fathering narratives of British South Asian men with children aged three to eight years, in the context of their complex migration histories and experiences of socioeconomic marginalisation in contemporary Britain. It investigates men’s narratives about their memories of their own fathers and their legacy for own values and practices as fathers. The findings show that the fathering practices are shaped not just by the intergenerational replication of values and practices but also by the deep emotional legacy that children inherit from their fathers. Further, fathering is embedded in wider socioeconomic and racial hierarchies, which constrain men’s ability to father in new ways. Despite their efforts, many fathers consciously or unconsciously end up replicating their fathers’ parenting practices such as working long hours and absence from the day-to-day lives of their children

Healthy eating in UK minority ethnic households : influences and way forward

Many minority ethnic groups living in the UK experience health inequalities in the form of higher rates of mortality and morbidity as compared to the white population (Liu, et al., 2015; Liu et al., 2012; Ghouri, 2005; Nazroo, 2003; Bhopal, 2002). It has been argued that health inequalities experienced by minority ethnic populations will in part be affected by food differences (Ludwig, Cox and Ellahi, 2011; Ludvigsen and Scott, 2009). However, there is limited evidence on the food choices and eating practices of minority ethnic populations due to small sample sizes, difficulties in collecting information and small scale contradictory findings. It is therefore not a surprise that policies and practices informed by limited and contradictory evidence have not been able to tackle the issues of healthy diet and obesity. This paper draws on the findings from academic and grey literature, alongside the outcomes from a qualitative study conducted in three cities in the North of England which explored the influences on food choices among minority ethnic populations. Where possible, UK literature has been used. Because South Asian minorities are the most populous in the UK and there is a larger existing literature on their dietary practices, it has been easier to provide examples from these communities. UK based examples from other minority ethnic populations have been used where possible, but in some instances the findings from other Western countries have been used instead. It must not be assumed that minority ethnic groups have homogenous food practices. Keywords: health inequality; health inequalities; minority ethnic; healthy eating; foo

How Pakistani and Indian women confront marital economic abuse

Although disputes over finances are known to be common in South Asian families, relatively little is known about the prevalence and severity of economic abuse of women from these backgrounds. In a new study, I spoke with 84 mothers with dependent children from Pakistani Muslim and Gujarati Hindu backgrounds in Britain, India and Pakistan about their household finances and economic well-being. The women had a range of occupational backgrounds and the majority of them were living with their husbands or with extended family. Out of the 84 women, 33 reported one or more forms of economic abuse. I found that many women are suffering from economic abuse in silence, although they do not accept it as a natural or cultural phenomenon. Some are fighting back in their own way, but their battles are limited by the socio-economic and legal resources available to them

How women use food to negotiate power in Pakistani and Indian households

When it comes to healthy eating, policies and advice tend to focus on improving food knowledge and cooking skills. But food is more than just a source of pleasure and nutrition, it is also a medium for expressing family relationships. Almost everything from the order of serving food, portion sizes, meal timings and types of food can act as an expression of love, intimacy, distance or disdain. Those who do the cooking and serve food can communicate their authority or resistance through food – for example, by reducing the amount on a plate, or by altering serving and seating orders. Family members can exact punishment by not giving food when it is expected, or not accepting food when it is offered. My new research has found that in order to encourage healthy eating, we need to understand the nuanced role that food plays in our relationships. For my latest study, I spoke to 84 South Asian women of Indian and Pakistani background who live in Britain, India and Pakistan about the links between their access to resources and the way food is prepared and eaten in their households. There is some evidence to suggest that unhealthy diets among South Asian populations are contributing to health inequalities in the UK

Ill-health in the family: the intersection of employment and caring across households from four ethnic groups

The employment rates of both disabled people and those from minority ethnic groups are subject to substantial UK policy attention. In this paper we set out to enhance understanding of the relationship with the labour market for those living with long-term illness and their family members. We explore the role of family caring responsibilities and ethnicity in shaping patterns of employment participation. We do this by investigating the experiences of those from four different ethnic groups and using a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach