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

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.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Sociology

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Button, Kirsty Allen

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Moore, Elena

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22841

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22841