"¡Ay, este chino habla castellano!". El caso de los jóvenes inmigrantes de origen taiwanés en la ciudad de La Plata

En consideración del aumento en la cantidad de inmigrantes de origen asiático (coreanos, chinos, taiwaneses) en el país en los últimos años, el presente trabajo se centra en el estudio interpretativo de las historias de vida y de las percepciones de jóvenes pertenecientes al colectivo inmigrante procedente de Taiwán en la ciudad de La Plata."¡Ay, este chino habla castellano!". El caso de los jóvenes inmigrantes de origen taiwanés en la ciudad de La Plata Eleonora Bretal El trabajo se encuentra enmarcado en el Proyecto de Investigación "Relaciones interculturales y construcción de alteridad con respecto a inmigrantes extranjeros de origen boliviano y asiático en La Plata". Se busca en este caso relevar las actividades que han realizado y desarrollan estos jóvenes, en los planos educativo y laboral, para analizar entre otros aspectos, sus modos de inserción social en la sociedad receptora. Asimismo explorar las estrategias que entran en juego en la conservación de sus límites grupales, a través de su participación o no en asociaciones específicas y sus mecanismos de reproducción social. Indagaremos acerca de las apreciaciones valorativas de la generación joven del colectivo inmigrante de origen taiwanés respecto a sus interrelaciones con los miembros de la sociedad receptora, con los inmigrantes pertenecientes a su mismo colectivo y con inmigrantes de otras procedencias, teniendo en cuenta las diferencias culturales y lingüísticas que enriquecen la compleja comunicación intercultural, a la cual se suma la dimensión intergeneracional

"¡Ay, este chino habla castellano!". El caso de los jóvenes inmigrantes de origen taiwanés en la ciudad de La Plata

En consideración del aumento en la cantidad de inmigrantes de origen asiático (coreanos, chinos, taiwaneses) en el país en los últimos años, el presente trabajo se centra en el estudio interpretativo de las historias de vida y de las percepciones de jóvenes pertenecientes al colectivo inmigrante procedente de Taiwán en la ciudad de La Plata."¡Ay, este chino habla castellano!". El caso de los jóvenes inmigrantes de origen taiwanés en la ciudad de La Plata Eleonora Bretal El trabajo se encuentra enmarcado en el Proyecto de Investigación "Relaciones interculturales y construcción de alteridad con respecto a inmigrantes extranjeros de origen boliviano y asiático en La Plata". Se busca en este caso relevar las actividades que han realizado y desarrollan estos jóvenes, en los planos educativo y laboral, para analizar entre otros aspectos, sus modos de inserción social en la sociedad receptora. Asimismo explorar las estrategias que entran en juego en la conservación de sus límites grupales, a través de su participación o no en asociaciones específicas y sus mecanismos de reproducción social. Indagaremos acerca de las apreciaciones valorativas de la generación joven del colectivo inmigrante de origen taiwanés respecto a sus interrelaciones con los miembros de la sociedad receptora, con los inmigrantes pertenecientes a su mismo colectivo y con inmigrantes de otras procedencias, teniendo en cuenta las diferencias culturales y lingüísticas que enriquecen la compleja comunicación intercultural, a la cual se suma la dimensión intergeneracional

"¡Ay, este chino habla castellano!". El caso de los jóvenes inmigrantes de origen taiwanés en la ciudad de La Plata

En consideración del aumento en la cantidad de inmigrantes de origen asiático (coreanos, chinos, taiwaneses) en el país en los últimos años, el presente trabajo se centra en el estudio interpretativo de las historias de vida y de las percepciones de jóvenes pertenecientes al colectivo inmigrante procedente de Taiwán en la ciudad de La Plata."¡Ay, este chino habla castellano!". El caso de los jóvenes inmigrantes de origen taiwanés en la ciudad de La Plata Eleonora Bretal El trabajo se encuentra enmarcado en el Proyecto de Investigación "Relaciones interculturales y construcción de alteridad con respecto a inmigrantes extranjeros de origen boliviano y asiático en La Plata". Se busca en este caso relevar las actividades que han realizado y desarrollan estos jóvenes, en los planos educativo y laboral, para analizar entre otros aspectos, sus modos de inserción social en la sociedad receptora. Asimismo explorar las estrategias que entran en juego en la conservación de sus límites grupales, a través de su participación o no en asociaciones específicas y sus mecanismos de reproducción social. Indagaremos acerca de las apreciaciones valorativas de la generación joven del colectivo inmigrante de origen taiwanés respecto a sus interrelaciones con los miembros de la sociedad receptora, con los inmigrantes pertenecientes a su mismo colectivo y con inmigrantes de otras procedencias, teniendo en cuenta las diferencias culturales y lingüísticas que enriquecen la compleja comunicación intercultural, a la cual se suma la dimensión intergeneracional

Female employment from the household. Towards a comprehensive analysis of work-life articulation

Research on women’s employment has proliferated over recent decades, often under a perspective that conceptualizes female labour market activity as independent of male presences and absences in the productive and reproductive spheres. In the face of these approaches, the article argues the need to focus on the couple as the unit of analysis of work-life articulation. After referring to the main theoretical arguments that, from a gender perspective within labour studies, have pointed out the relevance of placing the household as the central space for the analysis of the sexual division of labour, the article reviews different empirical contributions that have incorporated such perspective in the international literature. Next, the state of the art in the Spanish literature is presented, before arguing the desirability of applying such framework of analysis to the study of employment and care work in Spanish households, which are at present undergoing major transformations.

Gender stereotypes: sexuality and contraception in Mexican university students of middle class

Since feminist studies and gender perspective, sexuality and reproduction continue to be a topic of interest in Mexico. The objective of this study was to identify gender stereotypes in sexuality and contraception practices in Mexican university students of middle class. We used a qualitative methodology with in-depth interviews, using as analysis axes the sexual and contraception practices. The results showed gender stereotypes in university students as active, seductive and conquerors, characterized by a double standard of morality in the type of relationship: Formal where love, affection, trust and commitment are present, and Informal, where a love relationship or sexual exclusivity is not incorporated.

Return Migration in the Ecuadorian and Bolivian population: motivations, strategies and discourses

This article analyses the motivations for return migration among the Ecuadorians and Bolivians who, after living in Spain, returned to their countries of origin during the economic crisis that started in 2008. From the analysis of 22 interviews in-depth which took place in Ecuador and 38 in Bolivia to women, men and young people from migrant families, this decision-making process is shown to be embedded into a gendered dynamics of relationships. Particular detail is given to affective and economic elements that had an influence on the decision to return, as well as to the strategies deployed to project their readjustment back in origin. Males and females occupy differential positions within the family, work and social circle, their expectations being built in a gendered manner. Despite the fact migration has brought women greater economic power within the family group, their reintegration upon return redefines their role as main managers in the household and the dynamics that allow their social reproduction. Men, for their part, aspire to refresh their role as providers in spite of their frail labour position upon return. Social mobility for females is passed on through generations by a strong investment on education for their daughters and sons, while for males this mobility revolves around setting up family businesses and around their demonstrative abilities.

The elderly care and domestic services sector during the recent economic crisis. The case of Italy, Spain and France.

Over the past ten years in Italy, Spain and France, the demographic pressure and the increasing women’s participation in labour market have fuelled the expansion of the private provision of domestic and care services. In order to ensure the difficult balance between affordability, quality and job creation, each countries’ response has been different. France has developed policies to sustain the demand side introducing instruments such as vouchers and fiscal schemes, since the mid of the 2000s. Massive public funding has contributed to foster a regular market of domestic and care services and France is often presented as a “best practices” of those policies aimed at encouraging a regular private sector. Conversely in Italy and Spain, the development of a private domestic and care market has been mostly uncontrolled and without a coherent institutional design: the osmosis between a large informal market and the regular private care sector has been ensured on the supply side by migrant workers’ regularizations or the introduction of new employment regulations . The analysis presented in this paper aims to describe the response of these different policies to the challenges imposed by the current economic crisis. In dealing with the retrenchment of public expenditure and the reduced households’ purchasing power, Italy, Spain and France are experiencing greater difficulties in ensuring a regular private sector of domestic and care services. In light of that, the paper analyses the recent economic conjuncture presenting some assumptions about the future risk of deeper inequalities rising along with the increase of the process of marketization of domestic and care services in all the countries under analysis.    

A view, different proposals: Concept of gender and public policy

This article analyzes the meaning of “gender” as a category of analysis in public policy. The concept has been transferred from the feminist theories and this has meant that the United Nations and European Union have incorporated the inequality as a structural inequality and an issue justice. So, the feminist demands enter the political agenda as an integral project which is characterized by the adoption of the gender perspective and its application from a transversal methodology (“gender mainstreaming”). In this sense, the "gender ideology" is a new paradigm against the “patriarchal ideology”. Now, political actions should be articulated in a double movement of correction and promotion to achieve real equality in societies more democratic and ultimately more just.

The Spanish reforms on domestic work regulation

This paper analyses the latest Spanish reforms regarding domestic work. The Spanish legislator, doubtlessly influenced by the ILO Domestic Work Convention nº 189 – which, however, was not later ratified in Spain- made a deep reform on domestic work in 2011. This legal reform implied a striking change that affected both working conditions and social security of employees in the family home. The aim of this reform has been to bring the regulation in domestic work closer to the general regulation for other workers, although maintaining certain specialties. Regarding working conditions, their setting as “particular employment relationship” has been held. However, the differences between this relationship and the common ones have been reduced. As for social security, domestic employees have been incorporated into the General Social Security System, but with important specialties, thus erasing the Special Domestic Employees System. The paper also examines the legal changes that have taken place in this field after the new Government arose.

Late-career international migration and reproductive work. A comparison between Peruvian and Ukrainian women in the Southern Europe

Research on the relationship between reproductive work and women´s life trajectories including the experience of labour migration has mainly focused on the case of relatively young mothers who leave behind, or later re-join, their children. While it is true that most women migrate at a younger age, there are a significant number of cases of men and women who move abroad for labour purposes at a more advanced stage, undertaking a late-career migration. This is still an under-estimated and under-researched sub-field that uncovers a varied range of issues, including the global organization of reproductive work and the employment of migrant women as domestic workers late in their lives. By pooling the findings of two qualitative studies, this article focuses on Peruvian and Ukrainian women who seek employment in Spain and Italy when they are well into their forties, or older. A commonality the two groups of women share is that, independently of their level of education and professional experience, more often than not they end up as domestic and care workers. The article initially discusses the reasons for late-career female migration, taking into consideration the structural and personal determinants that have affected Peruvian and Ukrainian women’s careers in their countries of origin and settlement. After this, the focus is set on the characteristics of domestic employment at later life, on the impact on their current lives, including the transnational family organization, and on future labour and retirement prospects. Apart from an evaluation of objective working and living conditions, we discuss women’s personal impressions of being domestic workers in the context of their occupational experiences and family commitments. In this regard, women report varying levels of personal and professional satisfaction, as well as different patterns of continuity-discontinuity in their work and family lives, and of optimism towards the future. Divergences could be, to some extent, explained by the effect of migrants´ transnational social practices and policies of states.

Migrant domestic workers, vulnerability and the law: immigration and employment laws in Cyprus and Spain

The intersection of gender, welfare and immigration regimes has been one of the main focus of a rich scholarship on paid domestic work in Europe. This article brings into the discussion the nexus of employment and immigration law regimes to reflect on the role of legal regulation in structuring and reducing the vulnerability of domestic workers. I analyse this nexus by looking at the cases of Cyprus and Spain, two states falling under the cluster of Southern Mediterranean welfare regimes, that share certain characteristics in terms of immigration regimes, but have substantially different employment law regulation models. The first part sketches the debate on the employment law regulation of domestic work. The second part starts by giving an overview of the immigration regimes of Cyprus and Spain in relation to migrant domestic workers and then proceeds to analyse the two countries’ models and substance of employment law regulation in domestic work. The comparison of these two divergent approaches informs the debate on how the legal regulation of domestic work should be best structured. In Spain there have been recent dynamic legislative changes in the employment law regulation of domestic work. The final part of the article traces these changes and reflects on why such processes have not taken place in Cyprus.

Weaving Futures. Family Transnationalism in the migration from Dominican Republic and Brazil to Spain

This article explores forms of migrant families’ reorganization within a (new) global economic crisis and the hardening of migration control in Europe; based on the cases of Dominican and Brazilian migration to Spain.Our goal is not to characterize the wholeness of strategies from these collectives, instead visualize its heterogeneity. Displacement of Dominican and Brazilian population to Spain shares the role of women as the first link of migration chains. In both cases women are the economic support of transnational families and they lead reunification's processes. Nevertheless, differences in the time spent in the destination country, migratory status, origin (rural-urban), level of education, class and labor insertion in destination country, affect differently, the planning and start up of migration projects, the organization of care and family reunification strategies. These findings question the predominant place granted to national origin in the study of international migration.

Migrant women’s employment in paid reproductive work through the crisis: the case of Italy (2007-2012)

Paid reproductive work, especially in the case of cleaning and home-care for elderly people, is an important sector for foreign women in Italy. For this reason, since the beginning of the current economic crisis, scholars have wondered about the impact of the recession on migrant domestic workers. They have looked particularly at possible competition with Italian women entering the sector for lack of better alternatives. Our paper takes this discussion a step further by assessing the overall changes affecting migrant women in the Italian labour market, 2007-2012. We will look at how their position has been transformed, by taking both an ethnic perspective, in relation to Italian women, and a gender perspective, in relation to migrant men. By way of a conclusion, the argument will be made that there is a substantial lack of competition between Italian and foreign women in the care and domestic sector due to differences in their earnings, hours of work and activities.

Gendered Responses to Global Crisis: Circular Migration and Return among Ecuadorian Families in Spain and Ecuador

This paper analyzes the impact of Spain’s economic crisis on social reproduction strategies of Ecuadorian migrant families in Madrid and Quito. The paper analyzes circular migration experiences and more permanent returns to Ecuador. I argue that these strategies and migrants' greater or lesser capabilities to move between different migration destinations show significant gender differences. On the one hand, men and women make a differential use of their migratory status to deploy transnational strategies and expand their mobility. On the other hand, migrants’ degree of mobility and flexibility with regard to the labor market and transnational social reproduction are derivative of a specific gendered order and sexual division of labor.