Across the globe, more than one-third of all households are headed by women. In parts of Latin America, the share of female- headed households approaches one-half. Despite these striking statistics, very little research on housing in developing countries has examined gender and related issues. Prevailing theories have focused on social class, often treating "the urban poor" as an essentially homogeneous group. This doctoral dissertation research proposal will examine the role of gender and household composition in addition to other socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing housing choices made by women heading households in two lower-income neighborhoods in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. Structured surveys will be used to examine correlations between different types of households and informal housing submarkets. This phase of the research project will set the stage for in-depth interviews focusing on female-headed households in order to examine how constraints and resources related to class, gender, and household composition affect the evaluation of housing alternatives. By examining gender and household composition in addition to socioeconomic variables in the analysis of housing opportunities available to the urban poor, this research project will enhance understandings of fundamental differences among various subgroups, especially households headed by women. The project also will provide valuable insights for planners and others responsible for providing housing for disadvantaged segments of the population. As a doctoral dissertation improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.
