Marginalization, Resistance, and Communication Across Generations: Life Stories of Intergenerational Women Rice Farmers from Northern Samar

Abstract

Narrative inquiry and life story were used to analyze the aspects of marginalization that intergenerational women rice farmers experienced, how they resist male domination in their public and private domains and how they communicated stories of resistance across their generations. A purposeful sample of three women rice farmers from Northern Samar who are intergenerational, from one family that has been involved in rice farming for sixty years have been part of the study. The women's narratives of lived experiences were recorded and interpreted to gain deeper understanding of how they resisted patriarchy in a male dominated industry and how they communicated their stories of resistance across generations. Some of the findings validated previous studies. However, three concepts—earning, knowing one's worth and realization as forms of resistance—distinguished the present study. These three emergent themes are remarkable for their significance in strengthening positive intergenerational communication.