Gender, mobility, and Socio-Economic differences among Arab communities in Jordan and Israel

Abstract

Mobility is a multifaceted phenomenon intertwined with the allocation of material and social resources in modern societies. Studies conducted in Western contexts have linked limited mobility to other forms of social marginalization, often based on class and gender divisions. However, little is known about gender factors shaping mobility patterns in non-Western contexts, especially the Arab world. I investigate this issue in a Jordanian community (n = 200) and compare the results to three Arab communities in Israel (n = 300). These communities share a language and culture but have developed in different institutional contexts. The results show that men are more mobile than women in both countries, but the nature of gendered differences and their magnitude varies. Israeli-Arab women are more likely to shop than their male counterparts, but this pattern is reversed in Jordan. Jordanian women are more educated than Israeli women but are less likely to work. Therefore, demographic and socio-economic factors have a significant effect on the diversity of daily activity patterns; nonetheless, these variables are not sufficient to explain these gender disparities. Thus, effective policy interventions must be considered. Increasing job opportunities within the towns along with efficient PT may be considered more appropriate for women from a normative perspective but at the same time might allow women to maintain their traditional household chores.