Gender and Culture: The Evolving Agency of South Asian Female Immigrants

Abstract

This study examines agency: the decision-making capabilities of South Asian female immigrants in their cultural negotiation in the diaspora of Western countries.  It particularly examines their roles in household decisions, financial management, freedom of mobility, and public participation in the theoretical frame of Sen’s (1985a) capabilities approach, which underscores the need to remove barriers to enhance human capabilities and Bandura's (2006) conceptualization of human agency, which emphasizes the role of internal and external factors. A questionnaire survey with purposively selected 45 female immigrants living in the US, Canada, and Australia shows the increasing autonomy of female immigrants in their domestic and public spheres, with their increased financial involvement despite reliance on their spouses in banking matters. The findings underscore the need for enhancing policies for financial literacy and work-life balance to enhance the agency of South Asian female immigrants.