Abstract

The article aims at highlighting processes that lead to segregation and entrapment in housekeeping and care-giving activities of migrant women in Italy. Special attention is given to subjective aspects by examining perceptions of women who suffer such processes. Firstly, the structure of working paths within housekeeping and care-giving activities is analysed, focusing on trajectories going into and out from this sector and working arrangements (live-in / full-time / part-time) and irregular work experiences. The analysis then addresses subjective aspects pertaining to how women consider domestic/care work, what expectations they had before leaving their home countries, and what opportunities they think they have in the Italian labour market. The aim is to bring out the subtle mechanisms through which the pathways of migrant women are structured in the Italian labour market and, at the same time, their expectations and aspirations are modified. The research is based on 186 in-depth interviews with women coming from the Philippines, Ecuador, Romania and Morocco and also develops comparisons between these four ethnic groups.