Modernization and Cultural Variation in Kuwaiti Domestic Work: Insights from Hadar and Bedouin Households

Abstract

Kuwait's rapid transformation from a modest pearling and trading society into a modern petrostate has restructured its social organization, labor markets, and household dynamics. Grounded in modernization theory - particularly Rostow's stages of development - this study examines how these changes have shaped the demand for migrant domestic labor, focusing on Filipina workers. While domestic work is integral to Kuwaiti households, existing scholarship often treats employers as a homogeneous group. This research addresses that gap by analyzing cultural distinctions between Hadar (urban, merchant-descended) and Bedouin (tribal, nomadic heritage) households. The study employs a combined content and thematic analysis approach to examine how kinship traditions, privacy norms, and socio-economic factors influence domestic worker integration and autonomy. Findings indicate that while domestic workers are indispensable to household functioning, interaction patterns and spatial arrangements differ between Hadar and Bedouin households, reflecting deeper socio-cultural logics. The study contributes to Gulf migration by integrating modernization theory with intra-societal cultural analysis, highlighting internal diversity as a key factor shaping employer-employee relationships.