Zobraziť v EDS

The French care economy: between gendered inequality and feminist idealism.

Uložené v:
Podrobná bibliografia
Názov: The French care economy: between gendered inequality and feminist idealism.
Autori: Waters, Sarah1 S.a.waters@leeds.ac.uk
Zdroj: Modern & Contemporary France. Nov2025, Vol. 33 Issue 4, p455-470. 16p.
Predmety: *GENDER inequality, *FEMINISTS, *IDEALISM, *INTERNATIONAL business enterprises, *SOCIAL change
Abstract (English): The care economy in France is a site of both profound gendered inequalities and of renewed feminist idealism for an alternative social model and feminist ethic. This paper focuses on the realities of work in the elderly care sector at a moment of deepening crisis, with deteriorating conditions for both carers and the cared for. The Orpea scandal exposed how multinational corporations exploit care work for financial profit, with devastating consequences for a largely feminised and racialised workforce. Drawing on insights from ethical feminist theory, investigative journalism and documentary film, the paper explores the possibilities and limitations of the feminist ideal of a new radical politics of care. The paper draws on the documentary film Debout les femmes! as a lens with which to test the potential of the ethical feminist goal of a politicisation of care. We will see that while ethical feminists celebrate care's transformative potential, social change to improve labour conditions is impeded by a political establishment that maintains gender inequalities in the interests of economic expediency. The paper shows how maintaining a low-cost and devalued workforce is profitable by enabling the economy to free-ride on care activities, while denying them monetary and social recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract (French): L'économie des soins en France est un lieu de profondes inégalités entre les sexes et d'un renouveau de l'idéalisme féministe en faveur d'un modèle social alternatif et d'une éthique féministe. Cet article se concentre sur les réalités du travail dans le secteur des soins aux personnes âgées à un moment où la crise s'aggrave et où les conditions se détériorent à la fois pour les soignants et les soignés. Le scandale Orpea a révélé la manière dont les multinationales exploitent le travail de soins à des fins de profit financier, avec des conséquences dévastatrices pour une main-d'œuvre largement féminisée et racialisée. S'inspirant de la théorie féministe éthique, du journalisme d'investigation et du cinéma documentaire, l'article explore les possibilités et les limites de l'idéal féministe d'une nouvelle politique radicale des soins. L'article s'appuie sur le film documentaire Debout les femmes ! pour tester le potentiel de l'objectif féministe éthique d'une politisation des soins. Nous verrons que si les féministes éthiques célèbrent le potentiel de transformation des soins, le changement social visant à améliorer les conditions de travail est entravé par un establishment politique qui maintient les inégalités entre les sexes dans l'intérêt de l'opportunisme économique. L'article montre comment le maintien d'une main-d'œuvre bon marché et dévalorisée est rentable en permettant à l'économie de profiter gratuitement des activités de soins, tout en leur refusant une reconnaissance monétaire et sociale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáza: Academic Search Index
Popis
Abstrakt:The care economy in France is a site of both profound gendered inequalities and of renewed feminist idealism for an alternative social model and feminist ethic. This paper focuses on the realities of work in the elderly care sector at a moment of deepening crisis, with deteriorating conditions for both carers and the cared for. The Orpea scandal exposed how multinational corporations exploit care work for financial profit, with devastating consequences for a largely feminised and racialised workforce. Drawing on insights from ethical feminist theory, investigative journalism and documentary film, the paper explores the possibilities and limitations of the feminist ideal of a new radical politics of care. The paper draws on the documentary film Debout les femmes! as a lens with which to test the potential of the ethical feminist goal of a politicisation of care. We will see that while ethical feminists celebrate care's transformative potential, social change to improve labour conditions is impeded by a political establishment that maintains gender inequalities in the interests of economic expediency. The paper shows how maintaining a low-cost and devalued workforce is profitable by enabling the economy to free-ride on care activities, while denying them monetary and social recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:09639489
DOI:10.1080/09639489.2025.2508475