Paper short abstract:

The aim of this paper is to explore meanings of social justice related to care practices in Spain. Specifically, I will explore the ways how the notion of social justice is being redefined within the context of the economic crisis, affecting social practices and decision-making.

Paper long abstract:

The aim of this paper is to explore meanings of social justice related to care practices in Spain. As a result of the so-called 'crisis of care' affecting northern societies, care responsibilities have been significantly relocated among families, the State and the market. In Spain, as in many other northern countries, care has been increasingly assumed by migrant women coming from the south. Although these women play an important role at reproducing social order -as Feminist economics has pointed out- they work and live in very precarious conditions and extreme legal vulnerability. Most of them are irregular and work in informal economy, as domestic and care work is still a low-regulated sector. They are also subjected to racial and class prejudices. From a global perspective, that relates with a process of transfer of responsibilities among women across nations, which actually entails a process of stratified reproduction. Economic crisis and austerity policies have deeply affected living conditions of the population, having an impact over care practices and strategies. In this paper I want to explore, from an ethnographic perspective, the way how notions of social justice are being redefined within this context, affecting social practices and decision-making. That connects to the theoretical debate about the nature of oppression (from a class, gender and ethnic perspective) and global justice.