Women of immigrant origin: bodies and subjectivities in movement

Abstract

Female visibility in contemporary migrations has broken with the assumption and social representation that the organization and execution of international migration projects are eminently masculine (Pedone, 2008). The growing presence of women has inspired a large number of studies that have focused on women of immigrant origin and their relationship with the labor market, on the changes in the social and family structure, and on gender systems in both the societies of origin and those of destination. However, the literature that focuses on immigrant women and their relationship with emotions and body is relatively recent, the most important contributions are found in disciplines such as anthropology or psychology. The transnational perspective has reflected little on the physical and mental health, emotions and subjectivities of women, derived from their migratory experience. From a socio-anthropological point of view, immigrants bring their own notions of subjectivity linked to gender, race or social class, which do not always coincide with those existing in the host country. We sense that the same thing happens with the perception, practices and experiences regarding women's bodies and emotions.