Transnational Care

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. David Palomera, a Marie Curie-Cofund Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Science and Public Management at the University of Southern Denmark. Holding a PhD in Public Policy from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, David’s research focuses on welfare state and political economy transformations, with particular attention to social care and sustainability. He has published widely in public policy and social policy journals, is part of the Transforming Care Network management team, and works with multiple associations to generate public policy impact from his research.David takes us through the financialization of elder care in Spain, tracing its origins in the outsourcing of services during the 1990s, the expansion of access through the 2006 Dependency Law, and the entry of private equity funds and construction companies following the 2008 financial crisis. He explains how financial actors have reshaped the sector through strategies such as buy-and-leaseback schemes, fiscal engineering, offshore tax practices, and internal debt loading. We then turn to the social consequences of this financial model: declining wages and precarious employment for care workers, reduced staffing levels, and deteriorating care quality as profit is prioritized over people’s well-being. At the same time, David highlights alternative approaches that point toward a different future—community-based care homes, self-managed teams, and publicly or cooperatively owned systems, with examples like Buurtzorg in the Netherlands and Barcelona’s Villa Veïna.Tune in as we discuss how elder care has been transformed into a vehicle for financial profit, and why reimagining care as a democratic, socially owned practice is essential to restoring dignity and justice in aging societies.

In our eighth episode, we are joined by Başak Akkan, Associate Professor of Social Policy at Istanbul Bilgi University, whose research focuses on care, gender, and welfare regimes. Her work examines Turkey’s “familialistic Mediterranean model” of care, where the family has long been the primary provider, and the state increasingly supports this role through policies such as the 2007 cash-for-care scheme.Başak highlights the profound transformations of the 2000s: the expansion of a state-supported care market, the growing role of migrant workers and digital platforms, and the demographic challenges of an aging society. She sheds light on the emerging care crisis, where dissolving family structures, changing gender norms, and precarious working conditions create growing vulnerabilities in Turkey’s care system.Tune in as we discuss the evolution of Turkey’s care regime, the rising reliance on migrant care labor, and the urgent need to develop equitable, sustainable, and public models of care.

In the seventh episode, we are joined by Helena Dedek-Gertz, a research assistant at the University of Hamburg, whose doctoral research explores the role of digital networks in migration, specifically focusing on Brazilian migrants in Germany.Helena’s work, conducted as part of a broader study on migration and education, examines how digital platforms, such as social media, help migrants navigate their migration pathways, find educational opportunities, and share experiences in transnational communities.Helena introduces us to the concept of "digital migration," showing how Facebook groups and other online networks provide essential support for Brazilian nurses migrating to Germany. She explores how these digital spaces facilitate the exchange of critical information about vocational education in care work and the socio-economic challenges migrants face, while also addressing the misinformation and frustrations that can arise in these informal networks.Tune in as we discuss the evolving role of digital technologies in migration, the intersection of care work and education, and the ways in which migrants use these tools to overcome barriers in their pursuit of stability and integration in Germany.

In our latest episode, we are joined by Ezgi Karaoğlu, a PhD research at Michigan State University whose dissertation research delves into the urban citizenship experiences of middle-class Syrians with high cultural capital in Istanbul. Conducted between January 2023 and August 2024, Ezgi's research examines how these individuals navigate their integration into Turkish society without formal government guidance, relying instead on their own cultural, social, and financial resources.Ezgi introduces us to the concept of self-settlement, highlighting how middle-class Syrians establish informal care networks, create artistic and cultural spaces, and develop integration strategies amidst legal uncertainty and societal stigma. She sheds light on the role of care in self-settlement, exploring how it challenges traditional notions of institutional responsibility and shifts the burden of integration onto refugees themselves.Tune in as we explore the nuances of self-settlement, the limitations of formal care frameworks, and the resilience of refugees in crafting their paths to stability and belonging in Istanbul's urban landscape.

In our fifth episode, we are thrilled to feature My Rafstedt a postdoctoral fellow in Sociology of Law at the University of Oslo. My brings a wealth of knowledge on reproductive justice, knowledge production, and economic governance. Her work centers on the intersection of care work and gestational labor, examining how pregnancy itself can be viewed through the lens of labor.In this episode, My sheds light on the concept of gestational labor, exploring how pregnancy involves multiple forms of work—emotional, cognitive, and bodily. She explains how gestation can produce societal value and even be understood as labor, akin to other types of care work. We also discuss the ethical and political implications of commercial surrogacy and how regulatory frameworks affect surrogate rights globally, particularly in the context of marginalized groups.My further elaborates on how the commodification of gestation through surrogacy reveals vulnerabilities within the care economy, where labor rights are often disregarded, and regulation remains limited. By framing pregnancy as work, she opens a conversation on how reproductive labor can be valued and safeguarded.Join us as we delve into this compelling discussion with My Rafstedt, unraveling the connections between gestational labor, care work, and the economic and social structures that shape our understanding of reproductive justice.

In our fourth episode, we are excited to feature Mert Koçak, a scholar in queer migration, refugee studies, and the anthropology of law and bureaucracy. Mert earned their PhD in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Central European University, holds an MSc in Human Rights from the London School of Economics, and an MA in Gender Studies from CEU. They have been awarded fellowships at prestigious institutions, including the IWM – Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, CEFRES – French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences in Prague, and NEC – New Europe College in Bucharest. Currently, Mert is a non-residential fellow at the University of Cologne and serves as a project coordinator at the Memory Center in Istanbul, Turkey.In this episode, Mert unpacks how the global care industry relies on migrant labor, tracing the emergence of migration industries that facilitate the movement of care workers across borders. Together, we explore the roles of formal actors, like recruitment agencies and digital platforms, and informal intermediaries that shape migrant care work.Mert also addresses how digital care platforms streamline the caregiver-client matching process, though often at the expense of workers’ legal protections. By navigating these complex dynamics, Mert highlights both the opportunities and risks for migrant care workers, revealing how global care chains intersect with broader issues of legal status, labor precarity, and human rights.Join us as we delve into this thought-provoking conversation, illuminating the intricacies of migration, technology, and the global care economy with Mert Koçak.

Welcome to Transnational Care: Bridging Borders and Digital Landscapes, brought to you by the Cologne International Forum at the University of Cologne. This podcast examines the intersections of migration, labor, and technology within the global care economy, shedding light on how globalization and digitalization are reshaping care work as both a personal and commodified practice.In our third episode, we are thrilled to have Michael Kemmerling, a political economist from the University of Cologne, as our guest. Michael completed his PhD at the International Max Planck Research School, focusing on the social and political impacts of the digital transformation of capitalism. His research examines how digital technologies and infrastructures influence corporate strategies and political power.In this episode,Michael unpacks the fundamental changes that digital infrastructures bring to care relationships, as well as the emergence of new actors in the field, such as digital care platforms. They explore how digital tools transform both the individual caregiver-care recipient relationship and the business models of care providers, highlighting the benefits and risks for care workers and users alike.Let’s dive into this insightful discussion with Mihael Kemmerling, exploring the intricate ways in which digitalization intersects with care in today's global landscape.

Welcome to Transnational Care: Bridging Borders and Digital Landscapes, brought to you by the Cologne International Forum at the University of Cologne. This podcast explores the intersections of migration, labor, and technology within the global care economy, highlighting how care as both an intimate and commodified practice is being transformed by globalization and digitalization.Today, we are delighted to have Edward Mohr as our guest. Edward is a research officer and a PhD candidate in Comparative Political Science at the University of Tübingen, Germany. His extensive academic background includes a Master's degree in International Migration Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Tufts University.Edward's research dives deep into migration, focusing on how private-sector labor intermediaries influence care migration globally.In this episode, Elifcan Çelebi will be speaking with Edward about the complex dynamics of care work agencies, the role of intermediaries, and how digital platforms are reshaping the care industry. They will discuss how migrant care workers navigate through agency systems, the vulnerabilities they face, and the role of governments in regulating these agencies.Let’s dive into this insightful conversation with Edward Mohr.

In our very first episode, we are joined by Elifcan Çelebi, Assistant Professor at University College Dublin’s School of Politics and International Relations. Elifcan’s research explores social policy, democratic backsliding, and civil society, and she has been a key part of organizing this very podcast. With a PhD in Political Science from the International Max Planck Research School, and previous experience as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of Cologne, she brings both scholarly expertise and a collaborative vision to the project.Elifcan introduces us to the concept of care in its transnational dimensions, drawing on feminist and queer perspectives to highlight its material and immaterial aspects, and its deep entanglement with gendered and social inequalities. She traces how care is defined not only as practical assistance—bathing, cooking, cleaning—but also as a relational practice of interdependence that sustains human well-being. Through this lens, she brings attention to how families of origin and families of choice shape care, particularly in LGBTQ+ contexts.She also examines how care is reshaped in times of multiple crises: aging populations, dissolving family structures, increasing women’s labor participation, neoliberal reforms, and the rollback of public services. Situating care between the perspectives of political economy and ethics, Elifcan maps the care mix across family, state, market, and community, while also pointing to new trends like digital care platforms, which use algorithms to match households and workers, creating fresh challenges and intermediaries in the global care economy.Tune in as we launch the series by exploring care as a complex, multifaceted phenomenon at the heart of migration, labor, and technology in today’s world.

Welcome to the podcast series Transnational Care: Bridging Borders and Digital Landscapes, brought to you by the Cologne International Forum at the University of Cologne. Elifcan Çelebi and Mert Koçak are the co-editors of the series. We have curated for you an amazing list of academic guests who will critically examine the intersections of migration, labor, and technology within the global care economy. In an era defined by intensified mobility, increased border security, and the digitalization of care platforms, we will explore the transnational dimensions of care work, where labor is often outsourced across national boundaries. We will investigate how care workers navigate complex social, economic, and digital infrastructures, often situated at the intersection of precarious labor and global inequalities.Our guests engage with diverse theoretical frameworks on care economies, transnationalism, and digital labor markets, while also addressing the gendered dynamics that shape these experiences. Transnational Care aims to offer a deeper understanding of how care, both as an intimate and commodified practice, is being restructured in the context of globalization and digital transformation.Episodes will be published every other Wednesday. Stay tuned as we explore the urgent issues shaping the global care economy.