This qualitative study examined the relationship between intra-household food allocation with food-security in disadvantaged households supported by Imam Khomeini Relief Committee. Participants are recruited from 30 women by purposeful sampling who are the head of their household. The data has been collected by semi-structured and unstructured interviews. This study used a phenomenological approach and is grounded in the analysis of everyday lived experiences. The data was analyzed by using conventional content analysis. Data analysis results demonstrate that mothers' personal, social and cultural characteristics, her authority, her educational and occupational status in the low-income female-headed household, plays a crucial role in the quality of nutriment of the family. In addition, the income or financial wealth of each member of the family changes the level of food security of the household.
The food that a person consumes not only satisfies hunger but also has an impact on health, work, life, and success. Sometimes people are not well supplied with nutriment, because of various reasons such as economic problems. The nutritional status of an individual is influenced by a set of reasons from the most superficial to the profoundest, like culture and beliefs, social capital, social norms, gender and etc., that determine the quality and quantity of food.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Review of Body of Knowledge and Background of Intra-household Resource Allocation and Food Insecurity in Iran
3. Research Method
3-1. Methodological Approach
3-2. Management and Analysis of Data through Conventional Content Analysis
3-3. How to Call for Participants
4. Research Findings
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to investigate the patterns of intra-household resource allocation among families supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in Tehran, exploring how these processes are formed and whether they contribute to food insecurity. By employing a qualitative, anthropological approach, the research focuses on the central role of female heads of households in managing resources under conditions of economic constraint.
- Intra-household resource allocation processes and inequality
- The influence of cultural norms on gender roles in food consumption
- Anthropology of food and food insecurity management
- Socio-economic factors and their impact on family decision-making
- Mother's managerial capabilities and cultural assets
Excerpt from the Book
3-1. Methodological Approach
Access to information on topics that varies culturally or from one person to another, that can be hardly remembered by people, such as intro-family resource allocation, requires a multilateral methodological approach. Based on its objectives and nature of the topic, this article has selected the qualitative methodological approach amongst quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodological approaches (Scrimshaw). Because, in order to achieve the household food insecurity experience and a deep understanding of resource allocation phenomenon and food insecurity, it is appropriate to use quantitative method (semi-structured interviews using open interviews) with the phenomenological approach. By doing so, we are able to review the food insecurity experience and the social psychological consequences associated with it in individual and household level and show how the experiences are affecting the household decision-making and prioritization systems related to food insecurity management.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Defines food insecurity and its development over time, highlighting its complex nature and the critical role of resource allocation within the household.
2. Review of Body of Knowledge and Background of Intra-household Resource Allocation and Food Insecurity in Iran: Provides an overview of previous research regarding nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity trends in Iran.
3. Research Method: Details the qualitative, interpretative approach used, including the selection of 30 female-headed households and the use of conventional content analysis to manage and analyze data.
4. Research Findings: Presents the extracted themes and categories related to causes of food shortages, household management initiatives, and the coping strategies employed by participants.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the research findings, identifying the mother's cultural assets and managerial capabilities as primary factors that adjust household food insecurity.
Keywords
Anthropology of food, food insecurity, intra-household resource allocation, conventional content analysis, female-headed households, socioeconomic status, cultural norms, resource management, malnutrition, qualitative research, Tehran, family dynamics, household decision-making, nutrition status, poverty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research examines the patterns of intra-household resource allocation within families supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in Tehran and analyzes how these patterns relate to food insecurity.
What are the key thematic areas addressed in this study?
The study covers the impact of financial constraints, the influence of cultural norms on food distribution, the role of gender in family decision-making, and the specific coping strategies adopted by female-headed households.
What is the central research question?
The study seeks to answer how the intra-household resource allocation process is formed and whether this process is unequal, particularly in the context of families experiencing food insecurity.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a qualitative and interpretative research approach, specifically using conventional content analysis of 30 semi-structured and profound interviews conducted with female heads of households.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body reviews existing literature on food insecurity in Iran, details the specific methodology for data collection and analysis, and presents categorized findings on the causes of food shortage and maternal resource management strategies.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include anthropology of food, intra-household resource allocation, conventional content analysis, and female-headed households.
Why did the study focus exclusively on female-headed households?
The research targeted female-headed households due to the high frequency of women's interactions with the Relief Committee and the lack of cooperation from male household heads, which made women the most suitable informants.
How does maternal education influence household food security according to the study?
The findings suggest that mothers with higher levels of education are more successful in household management, as they are better equipped to find employment, manage expenses, and prioritize their children's nutritional needs.
What is the "paralysis" status mentioned in the findings?
Paralysis refers to a state of helplessness experienced by participants where the combination of external factors like inflation and internal factors like unemployment and sickness leaves them unable to effectively manage their life circumstances.
What role does culture play in resource allocation?
Culture dictates roles and priorities; for instance, many families prioritize the food needs of male members or children, often leading mothers to sacrifice their own intake and suffer from food insecurity.
- Quote paper
- Mona Dorani (Author), 2014, Understanding of the Intra-Household Resource Allocation. Process and Its Relation to Food Insecurity, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1003302
