Notes from the Field: Young Women in Two Cuban Agricultural Cooperatives

In the context of concerns regarding the small and declining number of women, especially young women, in Cuba's agricultural cooperatives, in 2008 qualitative research was undertaken on young women in two different forms of cooperative—a base unit of cooperative production (unidad básica de producción cooperativa) and an agricultural production cooperative (cooperativa de producción agropecuaria). Drawing on interviews with the young women and their managers, the findings signaled interrelated socioeconomic factors that militated against the young women, thus contributing to their lack of advancement and frustration. Patriarchal attitudes were evident, as the young women were relegated to work that demanded less physical effort and was paid less than that of men; managers considered the facts that the young women were in relationships, had children, and were of reproductive age limitations; the young women felt that they were overqualified for their work; and in (unofficial) managerial practice, regardless of educational level, men would be chosen over women.