Abstract
The article examines the glocalisation of care work in the context of international labour recruitment. The case analysed is the recruitment of Filipino nurses to Finland to work as practical nurses in private nursing homes for the elderly during 2008-2010. The data of the article consists of thematic interviews of Finnish nursing sector and recruitment company representatives on the one hand and of Filipino nurses on the other (N=19). International recruitment appears as a solution to demographic care deficit, i.e. the nurse shortage experienced in the aging and retiring Finland. The recruitment practices are constructed according to a post-colonial logic: The Philippines are seen as a country with infinite labour resources, from where Finland can acquire qualified care workers to patch the national nurse shortage. Examination of the recruitment reveals that Filipino nurses are seen as commodities, whose agency is disregarded both professionally and as human beings. The recruitment process is supported by Finnish immigration law as well as the relevant regulations on degree recognition. The article participates in the larger theoretical discussion on global care chains by highlighting the post-colonial logic as the key factor in the processes of creating transnational care networks.
| Translated title of the contribution | In the glocal markets of care work. The recruitment of Filipino nurses to Finland as a post-colonial practice: Filipino nurses recruitment to Finland as a postcolonial practice |
|---|---|
| Original language | Finnish |
| Journal | Sosiologia |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 206-221 |
| ISSN | 0038-1640 |
| Publication status | Published - 9 Oct 2012 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Fields of Science
- 5141 Sociology