Education, Agency, and Power among Macedonian Muslim Romani Women in New York City

Abstract

This contribution explores how Macedonian Muslim Romani women in New York City strategize for a better future and for more control over their lives. Education has become a tool for agency and power, mitigating the patriarchal foundation of Balkan society. In the second generation (i.e., the children of immigrants), female education is outpacing male education, and females are entering professional labor markets. I examine this trajectory in the context of the literature on gender and power in relation to immigrant families and community dynamics.