Solving the Care Crisis in Latin America through Market Solutions: The Case of Domestic Migrant Care Workers in Buenos Aires

TY - JOUR

T1 - Solving the Care Crisis in Latin America through Market Solutions

T2 - The Case of Domestic Migrant Care Workers in Buenos Aires

AU - Abrahamson, Peter

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - In a comparative perspective Latin America is very interesting since the region has proven it possible to reduce poverty and inequality, in part through expansion of social protection. Hence, the so-called lost decade of the 1980s marked by military dictatorships and implementation of neoliberal policies has been succeeded by 15 years of social progress. However, this development has only occurred within social security, education and health care. When it comes to social care services Latin Americans still have to rely on the family or, if they can afford it, the market. This article analyses in some detail the history and contemporary use of migrant domestic workers in Argentina to provide care since this is the dominant way of solving the present care crisis. It demonstrates that though a legal framework for protection of these workers has been provided in this country allowing a massive regularisation, the actual situation shows the presence of many critical problems due to the resilience of traditional ideas about domestic work and inadequate public recognition of care as a social right.

AB - In a comparative perspective Latin America is very interesting since the region has proven it possible to reduce poverty and inequality, in part through expansion of social protection. Hence, the so-called lost decade of the 1980s marked by military dictatorships and implementation of neoliberal policies has been succeeded by 15 years of social progress. However, this development has only occurred within social security, education and health care. When it comes to social care services Latin Americans still have to rely on the family or, if they can afford it, the market. This article analyses in some detail the history and contemporary use of migrant domestic workers in Argentina to provide care since this is the dominant way of solving the present care crisis. It demonstrates that though a legal framework for protection of these workers has been provided in this country allowing a massive regularisation, the actual situation shows the presence of many critical problems due to the resilience of traditional ideas about domestic work and inadequate public recognition of care as a social right.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Work Migration

KW - Latin America

KW - Argentina

KW - Domestic Workers

KW - Care Crisis

U2 - 10.7389/89915

DO - 10.7389/89915

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2284-2098

VL - 2018

SP - 51

EP - 66

JO - Politiche Sociali

JF - Politiche Sociali

IS - 1

ER -