A Case Study of Collective Action in Fishermen's Wives Group (KUNITA), Malaysia
Collective action can be an effective means for local development as well as important strategy to enhance livelihoods especially among rural people. This article explores the level of collective action among members of Fishermen-s Wives Group (KUNITA) in Malaysia. KUNITA was established by the Malaysian Fishery Development Authority (LKIM) with an objective to increase the socio-economic status of fishermen-s families. The members who are mostly the wives and daughters of fishermen are strongly encouraged by LKIM to venture into entrepreneurship activities. The objective of this research was to see the level of collective action among members in KUNITA groups in the state of Selangor. The finding shows that high level of collective action among KUNITA members is strongly based on volunteerism. However, the level of cooperation among members in the group is relatively low. The findings present significant challenges for the group in maintaining the sustainability of KUNITA organization.
[1] C. Tanner, "Class, Caste and Gender in Collective Action: Agricultural
Labour Unions in Two Indian villages. The Journal of Peasant Studies,
vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 672 - 698, 1995.
[2] G. Kariuki, "Initiatives for Rural Development Through Collective
Action: The Case of Household Participation in Group Activities in the
Highlands of Central Kenya," CAPri Working Paper No. 43.
International Food Policy Research Institute: Washington D.C, 2005.
[3] G. Marshall., "A Dictionary of Sociology". Oxford University Press,
New York, 1988.
[4] J. Blaxall., "India-s Self-Employed Women-s Association (SEWA):
Empowerment Through Mobilization of Poor Women on a Large Scale".
Scaling Up Poverty Reduction: A Global Learning Process and
Conference, Shanghai, May 25 - 27, 2004, Washington DC: World
Bank, 2004
[5] J. Coleman, "Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital,"
American Journal of Sociology., vol. 94, pp. 95 - 120, 1988.
[6] K. Goss, and M. Heaney, "Organizing Women as Women: Hybridity and
Grassroots Collective Action in the 21st Century. Perspectives on
Politics, vol. 8, pp. 27 - 52, 2010.
[7] L. Pandolfelli, R. Meinzen-Dick, and S. Dohrn, S. "Gender and
Collective Action: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis. In 2005
International Research Workshop on ÔÇÿGender and Collective
Action-Conference. CAPri Working Paper No. 64.
[8] M. Leach et.al, "Environmental Entitlements: Dynamics and Institutions
in Community-based NRM. World Development, vol. 27, no.2, pp. 225 -
247, 1999.
[9] M. Lubell et.al., "Watershed Partnerships and the Emergence of
Collective Action Institutions. American Journal of Political Science,
vol. 46, no.1, pp. 148 - 163, 2002.
[10] M. Molyneux., " Gender and the Silences of Social Capital: Lessons
from Latin America. Development and Chang, vol. 33, no. 2, pp: 167 -
188, 2002.
[11] N.H Selamat, I.H. Hashim, S. A. Gapor and J. A. Wahab, "The
Experience of Collective Action in Capacity Building Programs: A Case
Study of Fishermen-s Wives Group in Malaysia. European Journal of
Social Sciences, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 499 - 590, Dec 2010.
[12] N. Uphoff and C. Mijayaratna, "Demonstrated Benefits of Social
Capital: the Productivity of Farmer-s Organization in Gal Oya, Sri
Lanka. World Development, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 1840 - 1875, 2000.
[13] P. Dannecker, "Collective Action, Organization Building and
Leadership: Women Workers in the Garment Sector in Bangladesh.
Gender and Development, vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 31, 2000.
[14] P. Sanyal, "From Credit to Collective Action: The Role of Microfinance
in Promoting Women-s Social Capital and Normative Influence.
American Sociological Review, vol. 74, no 4, pp. 529- 550, 2009.
[15] R. Meinzen-Dick et. al., "Methods for Studying Collective Action in
Rural Development". CAPRi working papers 33, International Food
Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2004.
[16] S. Panda., "Women-s Collective Action and Sustainable Water
Management: Case of SEWA-s Water Campaign in Gujarat, India.
CAPRi working papers 61, International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI), 2006.
[1] C. Tanner, "Class, Caste and Gender in Collective Action: Agricultural
Labour Unions in Two Indian villages. The Journal of Peasant Studies,
vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 672 - 698, 1995.
[2] G. Kariuki, "Initiatives for Rural Development Through Collective
Action: The Case of Household Participation in Group Activities in the
Highlands of Central Kenya," CAPri Working Paper No. 43.
International Food Policy Research Institute: Washington D.C, 2005.
[3] G. Marshall., "A Dictionary of Sociology". Oxford University Press,
New York, 1988.
[4] J. Blaxall., "India-s Self-Employed Women-s Association (SEWA):
Empowerment Through Mobilization of Poor Women on a Large Scale".
Scaling Up Poverty Reduction: A Global Learning Process and
Conference, Shanghai, May 25 - 27, 2004, Washington DC: World
Bank, 2004
[5] J. Coleman, "Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital,"
American Journal of Sociology., vol. 94, pp. 95 - 120, 1988.
[6] K. Goss, and M. Heaney, "Organizing Women as Women: Hybridity and
Grassroots Collective Action in the 21st Century. Perspectives on
Politics, vol. 8, pp. 27 - 52, 2010.
[7] L. Pandolfelli, R. Meinzen-Dick, and S. Dohrn, S. "Gender and
Collective Action: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis. In 2005
International Research Workshop on ÔÇÿGender and Collective
Action-Conference. CAPri Working Paper No. 64.
[8] M. Leach et.al, "Environmental Entitlements: Dynamics and Institutions
in Community-based NRM. World Development, vol. 27, no.2, pp. 225 -
247, 1999.
[9] M. Lubell et.al., "Watershed Partnerships and the Emergence of
Collective Action Institutions. American Journal of Political Science,
vol. 46, no.1, pp. 148 - 163, 2002.
[10] M. Molyneux., " Gender and the Silences of Social Capital: Lessons
from Latin America. Development and Chang, vol. 33, no. 2, pp: 167 -
188, 2002.
[11] N.H Selamat, I.H. Hashim, S. A. Gapor and J. A. Wahab, "The
Experience of Collective Action in Capacity Building Programs: A Case
Study of Fishermen-s Wives Group in Malaysia. European Journal of
Social Sciences, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 499 - 590, Dec 2010.
[12] N. Uphoff and C. Mijayaratna, "Demonstrated Benefits of Social
Capital: the Productivity of Farmer-s Organization in Gal Oya, Sri
Lanka. World Development, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 1840 - 1875, 2000.
[13] P. Dannecker, "Collective Action, Organization Building and
Leadership: Women Workers in the Garment Sector in Bangladesh.
Gender and Development, vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 31, 2000.
[14] P. Sanyal, "From Credit to Collective Action: The Role of Microfinance
in Promoting Women-s Social Capital and Normative Influence.
American Sociological Review, vol. 74, no 4, pp. 529- 550, 2009.
[15] R. Meinzen-Dick et. al., "Methods for Studying Collective Action in
Rural Development". CAPRi working papers 33, International Food
Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2004.
[16] S. Panda., "Women-s Collective Action and Sustainable Water
Management: Case of SEWA-s Water Campaign in Gujarat, India.
CAPRi working papers 61, International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI), 2006.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:53537", author = "Nor Hafizah S. and Salfarina A. G. and Intan Hashimah H. and Juliana A. W.", title = "A Case Study of Collective Action in Fishermen's Wives Group (KUNITA), Malaysia", abstract = "Collective action can be an effective means for local development as well as important strategy to enhance livelihoods especially among rural people. This article explores the level of collective action among members of Fishermen-s Wives Group (KUNITA) in Malaysia. KUNITA was established by the Malaysian Fishery Development Authority (LKIM) with an objective to increase the socio-economic status of fishermen-s families. The members who are mostly the wives and daughters of fishermen are strongly encouraged by LKIM to venture into entrepreneurship activities. The objective of this research was to see the level of collective action among members in KUNITA groups in the state of Selangor. The finding shows that high level of collective action among KUNITA members is strongly based on volunteerism. However, the level of cooperation among members in the group is relatively low. The findings present significant challenges for the group in maintaining the sustainability of KUNITA organization.
", keywords = "Collective action, entrepreneurship, fishermen' swives group, LKIM.", volume = "4", number = "12", pages = "2240-6", }
