Leah Schmalzbauer - Striving and Surviving

Job #: 91880

Author name: schmalzbauer

Title of book: striving and surviving

ISBN number: 041597593x

NEW APPROACHES IN SOCIOLOGY

Studies in Social Inequality, Social
Change, and Social Justice

Edited by

Nancy A. Naples

University of Connecticut

A ROUTLEDGE SERIES

NEW ANPPROACHES IN SNOCIOLOGY

STUDIES IN SOCIAL INEQUALITY, SOCIAL CHANGE, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

NANCY A. NAPLES, General Editor

THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF POLICY

An Institutional Ethnography of UN

Forest Deliberations

Lauren E. Eastwood

THE STRUGGLE OVER GAY, LESBIAN,
AND BISEXUAL RIGHTS
Facing Off in Cincinnati
Kimberly B. Dugan

PARENTING FOR THE STATE
An Ethnographic Analysis of Non-Profit
Foster Care
Teresa Toguchi Swartz

TALKING BACK TO PSYCHIATRY
The Psychiatric Consumer/Survivor/
Ex-Patient Movement
Linda J. Morrison

CONTEXTUALIZING HOMELESSNESS
Critical Theory, Homelessness, and
Federal Policy Addressing the Homeless
Ken Kyle

LINKING ACTIVISM
Ecology, Social Justice, and
Education for Social Change
Morgan Gardner

THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF SEX WORKERS
IN THE NETHERLANDS
Katherine Gregory

STRIVING AND SURVIVING
A Daily Life Analysis of Honduran
Transnational Families
Leah Schmalzbauer

STRIVING AND SURVIVING

A Daily Life Analysis of
Honduran Transnational Families

Leah Schmalzbauer

Routledge
New York & London

2005 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

International Standard Book Number-10: 0-415-97593-X (Hardcover)

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-415-97593-3 (Hardcover)

Library of Congress Card Number 2005016654

No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.

Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

I could not have successfully completed this project without the transnational family members in Boston and Honduras who shared their time, insights, and life stories with me. I hope that this book has done justice to their strength, spirit, and wisdom.

The members of Proyecto Hondurefio, in Chelsea, MA, were my collaborators from start to finish. The board of directors-Elisa Enamorado, Pedro Rosales, Rubenia Bomatay, Rene Garcia, Rumina Bustillo, and Marco Antonio Velazquez-gave me the vote of confidence I needed to launch my research. Angel Tito Mesa and Isabel Lopez, the directors of Proyecto, facilitated my connection with the Honduran community by promoting me as their partner in solidarity. They are dear friends, mentors, and role models in the struggle for immigrant rights.

Isabel Lopez accompanied me to Honduras, graciously brought me into her own network of family and kin, and assisted me with interviews. Lidia Lopez-Murcia opened her home to me, treated me like family, and introduced me to the culinary delights of Honduras. Pedro Brizuela organized my visit with students at the Universidad Autonomo de Honduras-San Pedro Sula. I would also like to thank Octaviano Lopez-Murcia, Evangelina Lopez-Murcia, Geraldina Lopez-Murcia, Luis Tito Colon, and Daniel Ramirez for their gracious hospitality, generosity, and assistance while I was in San Pedro.

Boston College and the Ben Alper Family Foundation granted me dissertation fellowships which funded my research. UNESCO awarded me a fellowship to participate in the 2003 International Sociological Association PhD Methods Laboratory. Participants in the laboratory-Michelle Hsieh, Anna Renkin, Aiste Balzekiene, Shoma Choudhury, Marcelo Medeiros, Lina Sunseri, Czarina Saloma, Cosmas Obote, Christine Inglis, Jan Fritz, Sujata Patel, Frank Jones, and Alberto Martinelli-provided me with great insights, laughter, and friendship. I would like to give special thanks to Marcelo Medeiros who helped me conceptualize transnational family mobility and who has been a great friend and support. Kathy Coll introduced me to the anthropological literature on transnationalism and gave me methodological guidance early on. Paulo Madrigal connected me with Proyecto Hondurefio, and helped me in the initial recruitment phase of participants. Bart Beeson, Pedro Rosales, and Jennifer Marshall assisted me with interview transcriptions. My brother-in-law, Jim Sparks helped me construct my graphs and tables. My mom, Leone Medin, and my husband, Steve Bruner, enthusiastically proofread multiple chapter drafts. Thanks also to my colleagues at Montana State University who supported me in turning my dissertation into a book.

My dissertation committee gave me tremendous guidance and encouragement. Eve Spangler helped me maintain focus and clarity, and was always enthusiastic. Lisa Dodson mentored me through the logistical and, at times, emotional struggles implicit in field research. Sarah Babb and Peggy Levitt offered helpful feedback and wonderful support. It is difficult to express the thanks I owe my Chair, Juliet Schor. Working with her has transformed me as a person and a scholar. She walks her talk like no one else I know.

This book also benefits from the assistance of the New Appvoaches in Sociology series editors at Routledge. Nancy A. Naples gave me great suggestions and guidance in revising my manuscript. Benjamin Holtzman was always enthusiastic, and quick to respond to my questions.