Between coping and resistance: exploring how Iranian immigrant women respond to experiences of workplace oppression

Abstract

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how highly educated Iranian immigrant women in the US respond to workplace oppression, challenging the traditional separation between coping and resistance. By bridging coping mechanisms and feminist resistance, the study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how these women not only adapt to but also actively resist systemic oppression. The research seeks to develop a more comprehensive framework that captures the complexity of their responses and highlights the role of intersecting identities in shaping their strategies. Design/methodology/approach The methodology for this study involves conducting qualitative interviews with highly educated Iranian immigrant women in the US. These interviews explore their experiences with workplace oppression, focusing on how they navigate and challenge these challenges. The research utilizes a grounded theory approach to analyze the data, allowing for the emergence of themes related to coping mechanisms and resistance strategies. Findings The findings reveal that highly educated Iranian immigrant women employ complex, hybrid strategies that blend coping and resistance in response to workplace oppression. These strategies include doubling efforts, embracing anger, exercising voice and leveraging support. The study uncovers the ambiguity, temporality and spatiality of their responses, showing that they not only cope with but also actively challenge systemic oppression. The research emphasizes the significance of intersecting identities in shaping these responses, offering a more comprehensive understanding of how immigrant women navigate and resist workplace challenges over time and in various contexts. Originality/value The originality and value of this paper lie in its integration of coping mechanisms and feminist resistance frameworks to explore how highly educated Iranian immigrant women respond to workplace oppression. By bridging these two literatures, the study challenges the conventional understanding of coping as merely adaptive and individualistic, revealing how it can also serve as a form of resistance. This research contributes a more nuanced perspective on immigrant women’s agency, emphasizing the importance of intersectionality in understanding their responses to oppression and offering valuable insights for developing targeted interventions in gender and oppression studies.