'DOING FAMILY' IN KAZAKHSTAN: HOW DO NEWLYWEDS' RESIDENCE PATTERNS AFFECT WOMENS' AGENCY IN MARRIAGE?
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Date
2024-11-29
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Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities
Abstract
Drawing on interviews with 32 urban, middle-class Kazakh women from Astana and Almaty, I examine how residence patterns influence women’s agency in marriage. Depending on where newlyweds live in relation to their parents or extended family, different types of bonds and relational commitments are fostered (Gruijters and Ermisch 2018). Each arrangement influences women’s agency in marriage by determining the level of involvement with extended kin, the expectations of caregiving, and the extent of autonomy within the household. By integrating theories of bricolage (Duncan and Carter 2022) with the concept of ‘doing family’ (Morgan, 2019), I highlight how family life is constructed and negotiated through a range of everyday practices and relational dynamics. Women’s narratives illuminate the complex interplay of emotions, rational decision-making, and traditional practices – all merge into how contemporary urban newlyweds ‘do’ family. This interplay reflects the complex negotiations involved in maintaining familial roles, adjusting to residence patterns, and shaping women’s agency within their marriages. While patrilocal co-residence reflects traditional norms, this arrangement is also strategically adapted by contemporary couples. Many informants described how the period of co-residence is utilized not only to honor familial obligations but also as a practical strategy for accumulating savings for future autonomy, thereby transforming a practice rooted in tradition into a resourceful approach to modern financial realities. This adaptation demonstrates how women, and their families blend tradition with pragmatic considerations to navigate the complexities of marital life. Patrilocal co-residence remains a central focus - highlighting a resilient feature of Kazakh society’s patrilineal organization – this study extends to examine a wider range of residence patterns and their implications.
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Type of access: Open access
Citation
Nurtas-Kalikeyeva, Alina (2024). 'Doing Family' in Kazakhstan: How Do Newlyweds' Residence Patterns Affect Womens' Agency in Marriage? Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities.