Gender and Class. The Intersection of the Family Conditions of Migrant Women in Spain during the Last Great Recession

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the role of the family conditions of immigrant women in vulnerable employment situations during the crisis started in 2008. Through 31 in-dept interviews with immigrant domestic workers and caregivers, it explores the intersection among families’ life cycles, their financial situation, and the economic role of these women, whose access to all resources is limited. The results suggest that, instead of explanations based on settlement conditions and migrating human capital, the integration of these women into the work force is based on the dysfunctional conflictive balance between family care responsibilities and financial demands. These factors are joined by a lack of community and institutional support for care, leading to experiences of servitude, poverty, and social exclusion.