Migrant's Love(s): The Changing Nature of Relationships in Post-Earthquake Pakistan-administered Kashmir

Abstract

The earthquake that struck Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) in October 2005 brought with it obvious destruction and perceived change. In this article, I analyze the ongoing changes in family relationships in rural PaK following this event. Changes in the domestic organization—perceived as due to the refashioning of housing during post-earthquake reconstruction—often continued pre-existing patterns linked primarily to migration. In other words, rather than creating change, both the earthquake and post-earthquake reconstruction reinforced and crystallized pre-existing processes of social change that were already underway at the level of the house and the home. Using people's narratives of everyday life, as opposed to their narratives of change, I show that there was no breakdown per se of the classical patriarchy, as households continued to create, negotiate and reinforce family ties in their everyday lives, so as to increase their social and symbolic capital, as well as to access informal social protection.

Abstract in Urdu

Pakistani Kashmir me ane wala 2005ka zalzala apne sath tabahi aur wajhe tabdeeli laya. Mai ismazmoon mein zalzale ke bad khandani taloqatmein ane wali mussalsal tabdeeliun ka tajzia karta hun. Gharelotanzim mein ane wali tabdeelian, jo zalzale se taba shuda gharon ki tamir-e-nause mansub ki ja rahe thein, amuman phele se jari labor ki benulaqwaminaqal makani ki wajhan se thein. Dusre lafzon mein, zalzala auruske bad ki tamir-e-nau nay sirf pehle se shuru samajee tabdeelion ko taqwiatdi, jo pehle se he ghareloo satha par jari thein.Makami logonka tabdeeli ke bare mein byan se hatt kar mein unke rozmara kirawaiton ko istamal karte hue, ye zahir karta hun ke zalzale ki wajan se rawaitipider shahi (patriarchy) mein koi khaas farq nahin para. Gharanay ussi tarhankhandani aur rasmi talukat phela rahay aur mazbut kar rahay hain take unkasamaji aur alamati sarmaia barhay aur vo ghair rasme samaji tahafuz kawaqt-e-zaroorat faida utha sakain

Keywords:

• Marriage
• family
• disasters
• social change
• Pakistan-administered Kashmir
• informal social protection

Keywords:

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