Caregiver work should be treated like a globally traded commodity: U of T Study

July 26, 2017

In a recent article published by University of Toronto’s Arts & Science News, Principal Investigator Dr. Ito Peng highlights the need to address economic, gender, and racial inequality within the contemporary care economy.

 

Call for Applications: 2018-2019 Postdoctoral Fellowships at the CGSP

July 13, 2017

Call for Proposals 

The Centre for Global Social Policy at the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto intends to appoint up to 3 one-year or 6 six-month Postdoctoral Research Fellow(s). 

Application Deadline:  September 15, 2017

Job Description: 

The Postdoctoral Research Fellowship(s) will be funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, for research aligned with one of the eight sub-projects of the Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care Partnership Project https://cgsp.ca/. 

The appointment(s) shall be for a period of from six months to one year. The postdoctoral fellow(s) will work on their own research under the supervision or co-supervision of one of the Project Leads of the Partnership Project, with the fellow housed at the home institution of one of the supervisors. The Fellowships are designed to provide financial and intellectual support for outstanding scholars at the beginning of their professional careers.

Eligibility:

Applicants must have completed their PhDs within 5 years of the beginning of the fellowship, in January 2018.

The fellowship provides an annual $45,000.00 Canadian stipend, prorated for those with shorter appointments.

Fellowships are open to citizens of all countries, but fellows must participate in a culminating week-long seminar in December 2018 at the University of Toronto.

The fellowship begins January 1, 2018.

Procedure:

You will need to provide us with the following documents in your application:

  1. Letter of Application
  2. Curriculum Vitae
  3. Research Proposal
  4. Letter of recommendation from host institution supervisor, indicating their willingness to supervise the fellow and the institutional support that will be provided (office space, opportunities for presentation and networking, etc.)

All required documents must be compiled in a single file in Word or PDF format and submitted by email to [email protected].

For questions about the program and eligibility, please contact Deanna Pikkov, Research Associate, by email at [email protected] .

 

From Janet with Love

July 7, 2017

From Janet with Love is an interactive photo essay written by Helene Klodawsky. It tells the story of Jennifer Haydock and her mother Janet, a pen-pal bride originally from the Philippines. The piece beautifully captures the value of care work and touches on a unique migration pathway to Canada. Principle investigator Ito Peng will be working closely with Helene on her next documentary project, “Care Revolution.”

 

“Our imaginations are blank when it comes to care”

June 15, 2017

With these words, Helene Klodawsky a critically acclaimed filmmaker from Montreal, challenged us to ‘go beyond bland’ and embrace emotionally charged stories if we truly wish to spark audience interest in issues surrounding care.

In her documentary series ‘Care Rebels,’ Helene profiles individuals who are challenging the invisibility and social undervaluation of care work to radically reshape our collective perception of care. She is also working on a larger documentary, ‘Care Revolution,’ in which Project Lead Ito Peng will serve as an expert consultant.

Shaping the care landscape starts with sharing a moment. Helene challenged us to put ourselves in the shoes of somebody who has never thought about the work of care before. To build a narrative that is both informative and compelling, we must ask the questions that too often are neglected. How does a day in a life of a care recipient look like? What are the experiences of young caregivers? Do Canadians see themselves in the work of care? Pursuing these questions can shed light into the realities of care experienced by everyday people.

Helene also encouraged us to look into different creative avenues for showcasing our stories, explaining that a diversity of media platforms can help heighten public interest in the issues surrounding care. For instance, a podcast series exploring the social context of care can accompany a photo-essay of care workers’ daily lived experiences. Widely consumed media sources such as radio and newspapers also present an opportunity to get our stories out to a wider audience. Taking advantage of these outlets complements our objective of showcasing care work from multiple angles.

With refreshed enthusiasm and a surge of creativity, we are looking forward to continuing our Knowledge Mobilization and Dissemination efforts!

Care Work at the Venice Biennale

May 15, 2017

At this year’s 57th Venice Biennale, a spotlight shone on the work of care.

‘A World Without Borders’ was the theme of the Tunisian Pavilion at the exhibition.

Fiona Williams, emeritus professor of social policy at the University of Leeds and partner collaborator for the GMC project was asked to write a short essay on migration for the exhibit.

Fiona’s essay highlights her own cross-national research on migrant care workers. She also draws upon Professor Ito Peng and Professor Sonya Michel’s work from their book Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care.

Who would have thought that the GMC Project would receive recognition within the international arts scene? It offers a new and unique venue to get people interested and concerned with the work of care.

Read Fiona’s essay for the Tunisian Pavilion here. Note Dr. Ito Peng and Dr. Sonya Michel’s book referenced at the end of the essay.

Oxford Human Rights Hub Blog Post by Ito Peng

May 8, 2017

Two East Asian Approaches to Care

CALL FOR NEW SCHOLARS writing stipend $3000 Gender, Migration and the Work of Care

December 8, 2016

Call for Proposals
Gender, Migration and the Work of Care
A Research Project supported by the
Social Sciences Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Center for Global Social Policy, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto

New Scholar Associate Program

The Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care project is pleased to announce funding opportunities for new scholars working in areas connected with its foci. The overall project consists of eight interconnected multi-national research initiatives directed toward investigating how the (re-)organization of care is influencing global migration of care workers, and what this means for gender inequalities, social developments, and global governance. These research initiatives examine the social, cultural, and political construction of care; social, economic, and political conditions that are affecting the demand for care and the supply of care workers, and; the living and working conditions of migrant care workers. For information about each project, visit the CGSP website (www.cgsp.ca/resesarch).

We are now accepting applications for New Scholar Associates. The program will provide support to exceptional new scholars conducting research relevant to at least one of the eight subprojects. Up to five applicants will be accepted for 2017-2018. Successful New Scholar Associate applicants will receive a one-time $3,000 writing stipend (to be paid in two installments) to support the advancement and mobilization of their research. They will also have opportunities to work and network with Canadian and international scholars in the field and to gain experience by interacting with policy and NGO community partners. Finally, the program will disseminate their research outcomes to expert and general audiences through various channels such as CGSP workshop presentations and CGSP social media postings and profiles.

Program Responsibilities:

The New Scholar Associates Program offers writing stipends to recent PhD graduates in the social sciences or humanities. The stipends are aimed at supporting the development and completion of academic presentations and publications based on a working paper prepared with the support of the grant. Associates will establish a working paper review committee composed of two to three relevant project leads and/or partners of the Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care project. Six months after the receipt of funds, associates must submit a working paper to their review committee, along with a written report demonstrating that the following outcomes have been achieved:

  • Network connections have been established with leading and/or upcoming researchers and decision makers in the area of gender, migration, and care work
  • A version of the working paper has been submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or edited collection (status of that submission to be specified).
  • Grantee has made plans to present his/her research (in part or in whole) at a CGSP workshop or conference or another peer-reviewed conference or appropriate venue.

Eligibility:

New Scholar Associates are recent PhD graduates with a promising research profile whose research work enhances knowledge and understanding in at least one of the nine Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care projects.

  • Applicants must have successfully completed their PhD program in the last 3 years
  • Applicants may or may not be working with a project lead or partner of the Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care project
  • Applicants may be from any relevant discipline
  • Applicants may or may not be Canadian citizens, and may or may not be working within Canada
  • Applicants must be conducting part or all of their research on North American, Asian, and/or Asia Pacific countries, their citizens, and/or their migrant workers
  • Applicants may hold a post-doctoral appointment during the program
  • Applicants may not hold an academic faculty position during the program

 

Application:

Applications must include a cover letter; a letter of intent (no longer than two pages describing the relevant research, the working paper that will be completed by the end of the program, and plans for use of funds); a curriculum vitae; and two letters of recommendation, one of which should come from the applicant’s doctoral advisor. Single-file applications and letters must be submitted electronically by email to [email protected] Letters of recommendation must be emailed directly from referees via their institutional email accounts. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, with winners selected and informed at the beginning of May, September, and January. Only complete applications will be considered for review.

For questions about the program and eligibility, please contact Deanna Pikkov, Interim Research Associate, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-416-978-6351.

 

CALL FOR DOCTORAL ASSOCIATES – research support to $3000 – Gender, Migration and the Work of Care

December 8, 2016

Call for Applications

Gender, Migration and the Work of Care
A Research Project supported by the
Social Sciences Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Centre for Global Social Policy, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto

Doctoral Associate Program

The Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care project is pleased to announce a research support opportunity for doctoral candidates working in areas connected with its foci. The overall project consists of eight interconnected multi-national research initiatives directed toward investigating how the (re-)organization of care is influencing global migration of care workers, and what this means for gender inequalities, social developments, and global governance. These research initiatives examine the social, cultural, and political construction of care; social, economic, and political conditions that are affecting the demand for care and the supply of care workers, and; the living and working conditions of migrant care workers. For information about each project, visit the CGSP website (www.cgsp.ca/resesarch).

We are now accepting applications for our Doctoral Associates Program. The program will support the work of promising PhD students conducting research relevant to at least one of the eight initiatives of the Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care project. Up to five applicants will be accepted for 2017-18. Successful Doctoral Associates will receive an allowance of up to $3,000 to support their doctoral research work. They will also have opportunities to work and network with Canadian and international scholars in the field and gain experience interacting with policy and NGO community partners. Finally, the project will support Doctoral Associates in disseminating their research outcomes to expert and general audiences through various channels such as CGSP workshop presentations and the CGSP website, social media postings and profiles.

Program Responsibilities:

The Doctoral Associates Program offers a research allowance to a select number of PhD students at the thesis research stage. The fund is aimed at supporting individual research work, including fieldwork, academic travel, research supplies, and other costs directly associated to research. Associates are expected to carry out their research, disseminate their work, and develop useful network ties with key agents and institutions in the field. Associates must provide the following outcomes 12 months after the start of the program:

  • A description of research milestones that were reached
  • Evidence of network connections established with leading and/or upcoming researchers and decision makers in the area of gender, migration, and care work
  • Evidence of presentations and/or in-progress publications from their related research
  • A description of how the $3,000 allowance was used to further their research.
  • A write-up describing their research question, methodological approach, and (preliminary) findings

Eligibility:

Doctoral Associates must be PhD students who are ABD (have successfully defended their dissertation proposal) and whose dissertation work is relevant to at least one of the nine Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care projects.

  • Applicants may or may not be working with a project lead or partner of the Gender, Migration, and the Work of Care project
  • Applicants may be from any relevant discipline
  • Applicants must be enrolled in a recognized university or college
  • Applicants may or may not be a Canadian citizen, and may or may not be working within Canada
  • Applicants must be conducting part or all of their research on North American, Asian, and/or Asian Pacific countries, their citizens, and/or their migrant workers

Application:

Complete applications must include a cover letter; a letter of intent no longer than two pages describing the relevant research, the milestones to be achieved by the end of the program, and plans for use of funds; a curriculum vitae, and; two letters of recommendation (one must be from the applicant’s dissertation committee chair). Single-file applications must be submitted electronically by email to [email protected]. Letters of recommendation must be emailed directly from the referee using his/her institutional e-mail account. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, with winners selected and informed at the beginning of May, September, and January. Only complete applications will be considered for review.

For questions about the program and eligibility, please contact Deanna Pikkov, Interim Research Associate, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-416-978-6351.

 

Upcoming Publication: Domestic Workers of the World Unite!: A Global Movement for Dignity and Human Rights

December 7, 2016

Project Lead Jennifer Fish’s upcoming book, Domestic Workers of the World Unite!: A Global Movement for Dignity and Human Rights (NYU Press), will be published on July 25, 2017.

Drawing on over a decade’s worth of research, plus interviews with a number of key movement leaders and domestic workers, Fish presents the compelling stories of the pioneering women who, while struggling to fight for rights in their own countries, mobilized transnationally to enact change. The book takes us to Geneva, where domestic workers organized, negotiated, and successfully received the first-ever granting of international standards for care work protections by the United Nations’ International Labour Organization. This landmark victory not only legitimizes the importance of these household laborers’ demands for respect and recognition, but also signals the need to consider human rights as a central component of workers’ rights.

Domestic Workers of the World Unite! chronicles how a group with so few resources could organize and act within the world’s most powerful international structures and give voice to the wider global plight of migrants, women, and informal workers. For anyone with a stake in international human and workers’ rights, this is a critical and inspiring model of civil society organizing.

Jennifer Fish is Chair of the Department of Women’s Studies at Old Dominion University. Her research focuses on women’s labor and migration in the informal economy, with an emphasis on societies in post-conflict transitions and transnational activism.

New Publication: Ito Peng on “Transnational Migration of Domestic and Care Workers in Asia Pacific”

December 7, 2016

Director and Project Lead Ito Peng’s newest publication is now available online via the ILO’s website. Titled “Transnational Migration of Domestic and Care Workers in Asia Pacific”, the report was completed as part of the ILO/UE’s Global Action Programme on Migrant Domestic Workers and their Families.

The report examines the patterns of and policies related to migration of domestic and care workers in East and Southeast Asia.  The intensity of care related labour migration and the diversity of economic development stages, political regimes, and cultural and religious backgrounds in East and Southeast Asia provides an invaluable terrain for understanding different modalities and dynamics associated with gender, care and migration, as well as the growing interdependencies between richer and poorer localities and countries through care relationships within this region.

Ito Peng is the Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at the Department of Sociology and the School of Public Policy and Governance, and the Director of the Centre for Global Social Policy. She teaches political sociology and comparative public policy, specializing in family and gender policies and comparative welfare states. She has written extensively on gender, labour market, and political economy of social policy reforms in East Asia. More of Dr. Peng’s research relating to her Gender, Migration, and The Work of Care sub-project is viewable here.

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