Abstract:
Hundreds of thousands of Ecuadorian women have migrated to Spain over the past two
decades, seeking jobs as domestic workers. The gendered nature of this migration and its impact
on families is the focus of my research. Migration is a family survival strategy within a global
system that undervalues domestic work and fails to meet the needs of women and their families
worldwide. While remittances aid in the development of home communities, a perspective that
sees remittances as a development strategy ignores the real sacrifices and struggles of migrant
women and their families. Using participant observation and interviews in both the home sending
community in Ecuador and in Madrid, I explore the impacts on both the sending family and the
daughters in Spain.
By studying the same transnational family over time and across borders, I explore family
dynamics through the details of the actual migration experience: how migrants learn the cultural
codes to pass through immigration, how they raise capital through social networks to finance the
trip, and how migrants negotiate housing, finding work and gaining legal rights in Madrid. I
discuss the undervaluing of care work, which increases the vulnerability of Ecuadorian migrant
women. I also investigate the dynamics of this transnational family, through communicative
practices, return visits and family reunification. Finally I consider how the migration project of
Ecuadorian women affects their sense of personal development and identity. Looking toward the
future, I discuss how opportunities are diminishing for migrant workers as the Spanish economic
crisis deepens, forcing migrants to decide whether to stay in Spain or return to Ecuador.
