Landscapes of Care Drain. Care provision and Care Chains from the Ukraine to Poland, from Poland to Germany

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Helma Lutz
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: from 2006 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 23242238

In this collaborative project the causes and implications of the provision of domestic services in private households in many ED membership countries are explored. It aims at differentiating between different countries on different levels, including an analysis of how transnational migration is affecting the construction of welfare provision and the law in European societies as well as the most intimate of institutions, the home and family, will be examined and policy recommendations will be made.The proposed individual research is a follow-up to the project Gender, Ethnicity and Identity. The New Maids in the Age of Globalization (2002- 2005, see: www.uni-muenster.de/fqei).It will analyze the aspect of transnational care provision and transnational care chains between the Ukraine, Poland and Germany. While Polish women have become care providers for German children and elderly persons, middle class households in Poland is employing Ukrainian women for care work in large Polish cities. On top of that, Ukrainian women are also found in German households as care-providers. We can thus speak of an East-West care chain linking Ukrainian with Polish and German households.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom
• Participating Persons: Dr. Lina Connolly; Dr. Anna Gavanas; Dr. Sarah van Walsum; Professorin Fiona Williams