Care Work

Mary Romero's essay on the comparison and contrast of the frameworks that social science researches select for their analysis of Latina women employed in domestic services brought up many important points that could be overlooked. Care work as a whole has shifted ground to theories of immigration rather than race. Globalization has taken Care work without clearly articulated the differences or similarities to previous historical periods in the US that relied on immigrant and migrant labor. Historically when white women were going into the labor force during WWII there was a shortage in at home stay home moms that were able to take care of their children. Whereas the idea of a nanny was more mainstream than being only for the privileged. However, this is not the first time that this idea has been used. During the periods of slavery, an African woman being in charge of the children while the mother attended to her own needs was not uncommon and was encouraged. Also to have maids and housekeepers. Romero mentions 3 main assumptions that are embedded with the framework that links the analysis of the ethnic model. The three assumptions are; 

1) Cultural differences between employer and employee, as well as differences between immigrant and non-immigrant labor pools. 

2) The preferences for the analysis of agency over structure is more likely to identify individual characteristics that contribute to social mobility. 

3) Rather than their framing agency in terms of resistance and coping strategies aimed at oppressive working conditions. 

This framework is what keeps certain groups oppressed and keeps them from getting past their hierarchy. However, something that is overlooked is the "global chain of love" which gives a reason for some of the nannies that leave their children alone to care for someone else's children for money. It is hard to leave your children behind but sometimes out of benefit for them it is better to do that. But, the child of the parents is losing on time with their parent while another gain that cares and loves that the stranger gives to them in place of their parent. Face-to-face interaction between employee and employer can assist in helping to prevent abandonment issues for the nannies children by requesting days off or leaving earlier to spend with her children.