Resistance and conformity to the patriarchal triad in the Global South

Existing research has extensively investigated conflicting work–family ideals but has primarily represented these experiences as individual challenges in Global North countries, overlooking the role of the extended family and its collective dimension. This study addresses this gap by examining the lived experiences of 50 female managers in a male-dominated (maritime) industry in ‘developing regions'. We investigate how these female managers from the Global South manage the interconnected expectations of work, home, and extended family. We identify a triumvirate of expectations and introduce the notion of the ‘patriarchal triad', advancing the literature by: (1) highlighting the simultaneous expectations from the norms of the ideal worker, ideal homemaker and (intensive/good) mother, and ideal extended family member; (2) revealing the intricate combination of material/discursive tactics used by these women to manage the patriarchal triad, in which the extended family has a key role; and (3) providing a nuanced understanding of the accompanying productive/reproductive nature of resistance – both challenging and reproducing social norms – in which extended family dynamics are crucial. Our study complements existing work–family conflict research by situating ‘the collective' within specific literature on conflicting work–family ideals.