Suchergebnisse

Theories of social justice have identified the revaluation of caregiving work as a global challenge. Still, struggles for recognition are shaped by the specific cultural and institutional contexts in which they emerge. This article explores struggles for the recognition of caregiving work in Spanish eldercare, focusing on advocacy for family carers and for domestic workers. Drawing on interviews, findings reveal that domestic workers' needs are politicised to a greater extent than family carers' needs; empowerment and claims for workers' rights contrast with notions of self-care and mutual support. While the struggles are differentiated, the undervaluation of eldercare is a common theme.

Theories of social justice have identified the revaluation of caregiving work as a global challenge. Still, struggles for recognition are shaped by the specific cultural and institutional contexts in which they emerge. This article explores struggles for the recognition of caregiving work in Spanish eldercare, focusing on advocacy for family carers and for domestic workers. Drawing on interviews, findings reveal that domestic workers' needs are politicised to a greater extent than family carers' needs; empowerment and claims for workers' rights contrast with notions of self-care and mutual support. While the struggles are differentiated, the undervaluation of eldercare is a common theme.

Esta tesis se propone explorar cómo la desigualdad de género se ha formulado como un problema público en las políticas en torno a los cuidados en España y Suecia en el periodo comprendido entre 1995 y 2010. El propósito es analizar la manera en que se construye la desigualdad de género como un problema público y en la que, de ese modo, adquiere determinados significados mientras que otros se quedan ocultos. El análisis empírico examina tres diferentes debates: la conciliación de la vida familiar y laboral, el cuidado de personas en situación de dependencia y el servicio doméstico. El marco teórico se sitúa dentro de la investigación sobre género y Estado del bienestar, y examina la representación de la igualdad de género que emerge en dicha literatura. Todos los Estados del bienestar se posicionan en relación a los cuidados: cómo deberían realizarse, por quiénes y dónde. El Estado del bienestar Nórdico, que asume en gran medida la responsabilidad de provisión de cuidados, se ha considerado más favorable para las mujeres. La política social, y las políticas para facilitar el compaginar el empleo y los cuidados, se han concebido como el núcleo de las políticas favorables a las mujeres. Sin embargo, la idea normativa de los Estados del bienestar "favorables a las mujeres" se basa en una visión de los intereses de las mujeres como comunes y esencialmente diferentes de los intereses de los hombres. La comprensión de la categoría "mujeres" como categoría homogenea implica que la igualdad de género se asocia a menudo con la igualdad para madres trabajadoras blancas y heterosexuales. La tesis responde a esta crítica y desarrolla un enfoque interseccional al análisis del Estado del bienestar. Los dos estudios de caso demuestran cómo las políticas relacionadas con los cuidados, que normalmente intentan mejorar la igualdad de género, pueden marginar a "otras" mujeres.

International audience ; This article explores how paid domestic work is framed in state policies and discourses, drawing upon theoretical discussions on gender, welfare and global care chains. Based on a case study of the political debate on the `reconciliation of personal, family and work life' in Spain, the author argues that dominant policy frames relate gender inequality to women's unpaid domestic work and care, while domestic workers are essentially the invisible `other'. Empowering and disempowering frames are discussed; domestic workers are mainly constructed as a solution to the care problem and only marginally as subjects and rights-holders. The overall aim is to examine how public policies legitimize and (re)produce social inequalities related to gender, class and nationality.

This article explores how paid domestic work is framed in state policies and discourses, drawing upon theoretical discussions on gender, welfare and global care chains. Based on a case study of the political debate on the `reconciliation of personal, family and work life' in Spain, the author argues that dominant policy frames relate gender inequality to women's unpaid domestic work and care, while domestic workers are essentially the invisible `other'. Empowering and disempowering frames are discussed; domestic workers are mainly constructed as a solution to the care problem and only marginally as subjects and rights-holders. The overall aim is to examine how public policies legitimize and (re)produce social inequalities related to gender, class and nationality.

Focusing on Swedish home care for older people, this article explores the discursive (re)production of home care as an institution. Equality and universal service provision have been described as defining features of the Nordic care regime. At the same time, Nordic research has highlighted a shift in social care policy, from a focus on universalism and egalitarian ideals towards a focus on freedom of choice, diversity and individualised services. This article takes as a starting point that home care for older people is formed by different and potentially conflicting ideas. We understand home care as a contested formation and define institutional change in terms of ongoing discursive struggles. The analysis draws on qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants, including politicians, local authority officials and representatives of interest organisations. Informants were engaged in policy making, implementation or advocacy related to care for older people. We examine the meanings attached to home care for older people and the analysis reveals three different discourses – on choice, needs and equality. By comparing and contrasting discourses, we reveal silences, conflicts and tensions, and highlight the politics involved in (re)creating home care as an institution.

This book aims to map the diversity of meanings of gender equality across Europe and reflects on the contested concept of gender equality. In its exploration of the diverse meanings of gender equality it not only takes into account the existence of different visions of gender equality, and the way in which different political and theoretical debates crosscut these visions, but also reflects upon the geographical contexts in which visions and debates over gender equality are located. The contextual locations where these visions and debates take place include the European Union and member states such as Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain. In all of these settings, the different meanings of gender equality are explored comparatively in relation to the issues of family policies, domestic violence, and gender inequality in politics, while specific national contexts discuss the issues of prostitution (Austria, Slovenia), migration (the Netherlands), homosexual rights (Spain), and antidiscrimination (Hungary). The multiple meanings of gender equality are studied through Critical Frame Analysis, a methodology that builds on social movement theory and that was refined further with elements of gender and political theory within the context of the MAGEEQ research project