Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Stewart-Evans, Michael
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University
Author-Name: Siegel, Melissa
Author-Email: melissa.siegel@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University
Title: Left-behind men in Nicaragua: The rise of the Padre-Luchadores
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of women's 
	 migration on the lives of the men left-behind. Based on a qualitative 
	 research methodology the study consists of twenty interviews conducted 
	 with men across three different areas in Nicaragua. These interviews 
	 were used to understand changes to household decision making and how the 
	 man perceives his own sense of masculinity. The results suggest that in 
	 contrast to previous studies which have shown a reluctance of men to 
	 partake in work traditionally associated with women, the men in this 
	 study did not avoid partaking in domestic work or childcare. It was also 
	 found that none of the men - even those in receipt of remittances - 
	 stopped working and instead placed even greater symbolic importance on 
	 their work, allowing them to maintain their identity as the main 
	 breadwinner in the house. The study proposes that more work needs to be 
	 done to better understand the challenges and changes faced by men (an 
	 understudied group of the left-behind) as the number of women migrating 
	 for work continues to rise.
Classification-JEL: O15, F22, J13, J16
Keywords: Migration, Gender, Left-behind, Masculinity, Machismo, Nicaragua
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 20180926
Number: 2018-034
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2018/wp2018-034.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2018034