GENDER RELATIONS AND SUBJECTIVE FAMILY WELL-BEING AMONG FARMER FAMILIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN UPLANDS AND LOWLANDS AREAS IN WEST JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA
<p>The objectives of this study are described as follows: (1) To examine the conditions of<br />social, economic and demographic characteristics of poor farmer families who live at<br />uplands and lowlands areas, (2) to describe the social-cultural and agroecosystem<br />conditions of poor farmer families who live at uplands and lowlands areas, (3) To<br />explain type of gender relations of poor farmer families who live at uplands and<br />lowlands areas, and (4) to analyze factors that influenced subjective family well-being<br />of poor farmer families who live at uplands and lowlands areas. The chosen research<br />sites were Nanggung Sub-district, Bogor District as an upland area, and West Teluk<br />Jambe Sub-district, Karawang District, West Java Province as a lowland area. The total<br />of 189 farmer families was used for this study (n= 90 in uplands district areas, and n=<br />99 in lowlands district areas). It was found that the conditions of social-cultural and<br />agroecosystem differ between upland and lowland areas. In general, both upland and<br />lowland areas gender roles on farming activities, in terms of access and control to<br />agricultural resources, were dominated by men. Family well-being was directly<br />influenced by higher education of husband and wife, indirectly influenced by less<br />economic pressure of the family, directly influenced by higher gender relations between<br />husband and wife, and directly influenced by less or higher external support. Thus,<br />wealthy farmer families were the family that had educated husband and wife, less<br />economic pressures, equal gender relations and partnerships, and less or more receive<br />external supports. It is recommended that the next study should add variables of family<br />coping strategies related to family economic pressure and gender roles between husband<br />and wife.</p>