Development and marital power in Mexico

R. S. Oropesa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using information on spousal violence and decision making from a recent survey, this research addresses two issues pertaining to marital power in Mexican families. The first issue is the accuracy of various portraits of marital power. The results show that wives face diverse circumstances. Husband dominance is neither universal nor insurmountable. The second issue is whether marital power is associated with processes specified in the modernization or marginalization perspectives on the consequences of development. Consistent with the modernization perspective, educational attainment is a key variable affecting wives' exposure to domestic violence, likelihood of having an equal say in decisions, and satisfaction with influence in decisions. The results also suggest that economic opportunities per se are overemphasized in both perspectives.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1291-1317
Number of pages27
JournalSocial Forces
Volume75
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1997

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • History
  • Anthropology
  • Sociology and Political Science

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