Master thesis : "An exploration of Brazilian women's experiences of transnational caregiving in Ireland: types of care, strategies and changing roles"

Abstract

In an era of increasing global mobility, families are more often than ever, stretched across borders, challenging conventional ideas of what constitutes a family and the relations and actions that underpin this concept. This qualitative research investigates transnational caregiving, one of the central practices and performances that underpins transnational family life (Baldassar & Merla, 2014). This is undertaken through an exploration of the transnational caregiving experiences of Brazilian women living in Ireland, an under researched migrant community. It focuses on the types of care provided, strategies used to provide care in light of physical absence and the ways in which transnational caregiving can shape and change individuals’ roles and relationships within the family unit. Key dimensions explored include the role of gender dynamics, emotion, and other mediating factors at a micro, meso and macro level. Notable findings include the use of silence as an emotional transnational care practice and the role of emotions in negotiating caregiving practices and obligations. To this end, this research contributes to studies of transnational familyhood and caregiving, adding empirical evidence to existing theoretical models and indicates avenues for future research.