Page 91 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of
Population Studies A Burmese woman’s migration and exclusion

In line with Lieblich et al.’s (1998) holistic-content modeled resilience and strategic negotiation of access,
framework, the researchers paid particular attention to offering early lessons in how to survive and adapt through
key turning points in Aye’s story, such as her decision to self-determination.
migrate for her mother’s medical care, her response to Her grandmother, left to raise six daughters alone after
marital abandonment, and her re-entry into education her husband became a monk and “was not interested in
and work. These moments were analyzed not only for their women or other things,” refused to remain economically
content but for how they reflected evolving patterns of dependent or immobile. Initially, she chose to support her
autonomy, resistance, and adaptation. six children through sewing, but with limited opportunities
Focus group data, while not analyzed as deeply as the and still unable to afford her family, she decided to migrate
central case study, were coded thematically to contextualize to the capital city, Yangon. As Aye explained, “Because in a
and validate Aye’s narrative within the broader social poor city, a lot of people’s income is not enough to pay for
experiences of Burmese refugee women. These discussions sewing work. So, instead of waiting, she worried about her
reinforced common challenges and served as a comparative future. So that is why she moved to another city so she can
backdrop that added texture and depth to the central case. get money daily and then save money to live.” This decision
to relocate to Yangon was not just a survival strategy; it
This iterative and collaborative approach ensured that
the analysis remained reflexive, culturally grounded, and was a deliberate act to gain material access to income and
stability. It repositioned her family geographically and
sensitive to power dynamics, preserving Aye’s voice while socially, providing new opportunities in the face of rural
critically engaging with the broader systemic structures
shaping her experience. poverty and war-related instability.
This legacy of agency continued through Aye’s mother,
2.4. Ethical considerations who carried the burden of caregiving from a young age.
Ethical protocols were strictly adhered to ensure the “My mom has to stay home. She took care of her five sisters.
safety, confidentiality, and dignity of participants. Her mom’s working. So, when her mom worked, she had
Informed consent was obtained before data collection, to take care of her sisters and did chores and everything.”
and pseudonyms were employed to protect participant Despite having little time or support to attend school,
anonymity. Special attention was given to the ethical Aye’s mother pursued learning informally: “she wanted to
implications of power dynamics, especially in the context go to school, but her mom never allowed her… There is
of refugee research, where participants may feel vulnerable one temple, like a religious place… So, she learned to read
or marginalized. To address these concerns, the researchers there.” Her resourcefulness, even in limited circumstances,
adopted a collaborative and respectful approach, reflected a refusal to accept exclusion from knowledge as
prioritizing Aye’s agency in sharing her story throughout permanent.
the research process (Plummer, 2001). After marrying Aye’s father, who worked at a bank in a
3. Results different city, Aye’s mother remained the primary caregiver.
Still, she sought financial independence. “So, my mom’s life
3.1. Intergenerational migration history: A legacy of was so poor, so she did not want to stay at home. So, she has
women’s agency a very small grocery store, and then she can sell food, and
Aye’s family migration trajectory reflects how, under the then she sells vegetables. So, we have groceries.” For her,
unequal conditions of global economic development access to stability meant creating income autonomously,
and regional political instability, women are often even while raising four children mostly on her own.
compelled to migrate for economic reasons due to familial This emphasis on education and self-sufficiency became
responsibilities. Her family’s story highlights the gendered central to how she raised her children. Despite having little
vulnerabilities experienced during migration. Women face formal education herself, she pushed all four of her children
layered exclusions in this process, shaped by educational, to study hard. If the results did not meet her standards,
economic, linguistic, and cultural barriers, as well as Aye recalled her mother would punish the children by
restrictive gender expectations within the family. While hitting their palms with a stick, with the number of strikes
individual agency plays a crucial role in how women corresponding to the number of points they missed. Aye’s
navigate and survive such exclusionary environments, early educational experience was influenced by inadequate
structural change is also necessary to support and protect school support and fear of punishment from her mother
their efforts. Despite living in a society that placed and brother. Aye described her struggle: “I do not
structural limits on women’s education, independence, and understand anything what teacher said… My brother, he
social participation, both her grandmother and mother always got good scores, and then he said, ‘You do not know

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 85 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJPS025160060