International Journal of Gender & Women's Studies

Describing Determinants of Negotiation and Bargaining to Access and Utilize Resources including Health among Immigrant Pakistani Women in the United States
Dr. Umber Shahid, Sheryl A McCurdy PhD, Maria E Fernandez-Esquer PhD, Luisa Franzini PhD

Abstract
Objective of this study was to explore the domestic negotiation process around Pakistani homes in Houston. We explored the gendered differences in negotiations and various bargaining strategies employed by Pakistani immigrant women in order to utilize or access various resources including modern healthcare. Methods: Qualitative research methods were utilized. Nineteen in-depth interviews were conducted with participants, between ages of 25 to 39 years, married, residing in United States for less than 10 years, in addition to five key informant interviews with senior community women, between January to August 2016. Data was analyzed using narrative and thematic content analysis. Results: Paper presents the determinants of Pakistani immigrant women bargaining power and how women and men manage and negotiate couple, family, and intergenerational dynamics around healthcare as well as other needs. It revealed how Pakistani women mange to fulfill their needs, take care of their health, and what strategies they use to access resources. Conclusion: We observed that women‟s education and employment, have significant positive effect on wife‟s negotiation and decision-making power followed by two other chief determinants that act as a catalyst in wife‟s bargaining power and autonomy namely, strong natal family and wife sponsored permanent residency.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijgws.v6n1a1