Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care

In this paper we argue that the current political context of restrictionist migration policies is dramatically affecting people’s capacity to cross borders to engage in proximate care with their relatives, which is a central, yet often overlooked, feature of transnational care practices. We examine...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Laura Merla, Majella Kilkey, Loretta Baldassar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bamberg Press 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Family Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ubp.uni-bamberg.de/jfr/index.php/jfr/article/view/351
_version_ 1818295302164054016
author Laura Merla
Majella Kilkey
Loretta Baldassar
author_facet Laura Merla
Majella Kilkey
Loretta Baldassar
author_sort Laura Merla
collection DOAJ
description In this paper we argue that the current political context of restrictionist migration policies is dramatically affecting people’s capacity to cross borders to engage in proximate care with their relatives, which is a central, yet often overlooked, feature of transnational care practices. We examine how the wider context of temporality, restrictive mobility, and heightened uncertainty about the future affect people’s ability to be mobile and to move back and forth for caregiving. In examining the wellbeing effects of such restrictions, we highlight their variable impact depending on factors such as socio-economic positioning, life-course stage and health. The first sections of the paper present the care circulation framework and the particular meaning and function of proximate forms of care, as well as the main categories of care-related mobility that support this. We illustrate the dynamics and challenges faced by transnational family members, who engage in these care-related mobilities, through three vignettes involving care circulation between India and the UK, China and Australia, and Morocco and Belgium. In the final section, we discuss our vignettes in relation to the political, physical, social and time dimensions of current regimes of mobility that impact on care-related mobilities. We argue that the regimes of mobility that currently govern care-related mobilities are best understood as ‘immobilizing regimes’ with important and undervalued implications for ontological security and wellbeing.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T03:45:29Z
format Article
id doaj.art-94fde46e5f7847689d559f587ee8b86d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2699-2337
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T03:45:29Z
publishDate 2020-01-01
publisher University of Bamberg Press
record_format Article
series Journal of Family Research
spelling doaj.art-94fde46e5f7847689d559f587ee8b86d2022-12-22T00:00:50ZengUniversity of Bamberg PressJournal of Family Research2699-23372020-01-0132310.20377/jfr-351Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate careLaura MerlaMajella KilkeyLoretta BaldassarIn this paper we argue that the current political context of restrictionist migration policies is dramatically affecting people’s capacity to cross borders to engage in proximate care with their relatives, which is a central, yet often overlooked, feature of transnational care practices. We examine how the wider context of temporality, restrictive mobility, and heightened uncertainty about the future affect people’s ability to be mobile and to move back and forth for caregiving. In examining the wellbeing effects of such restrictions, we highlight their variable impact depending on factors such as socio-economic positioning, life-course stage and health. The first sections of the paper present the care circulation framework and the particular meaning and function of proximate forms of care, as well as the main categories of care-related mobility that support this. We illustrate the dynamics and challenges faced by transnational family members, who engage in these care-related mobilities, through three vignettes involving care circulation between India and the UK, China and Australia, and Morocco and Belgium. In the final section, we discuss our vignettes in relation to the political, physical, social and time dimensions of current regimes of mobility that impact on care-related mobilities. We argue that the regimes of mobility that currently govern care-related mobilities are best understood as ‘immobilizing regimes’ with important and undervalued implications for ontological security and wellbeing.https://ubp.uni-bamberg.de/jfr/index.php/jfr/article/view/351transnational familiescare circulationregimes of mobilityproximitywellbeing
spellingShingle Laura Merla
Majella Kilkey
Loretta Baldassar
Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care
Journal of Family Research
transnational families
care circulation
regimes of mobility
proximity
wellbeing
title Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care
title_full Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care
title_fullStr Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care
title_full_unstemmed Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care
title_short Examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration: Implications for proximate care
title_sort examining transnational care circulation trajectories within immobilizing regimes of migration implications for proximate care
topic transnational families
care circulation
regimes of mobility
proximity
wellbeing
url https://ubp.uni-bamberg.de/jfr/index.php/jfr/article/view/351
work_keys_str_mv AT lauramerla examiningtransnationalcarecirculationtrajectorieswithinimmobilizingregimesofmigrationimplicationsforproximatecare
AT majellakilkey examiningtransnationalcarecirculationtrajectorieswithinimmobilizingregimesofmigrationimplicationsforproximatecare
AT lorettabaldassar examiningtransnationalcarecirculationtrajectorieswithinimmobilizingregimesofmigrationimplicationsforproximatecare