Caring in the Diaspora: Care Practices of African Migrant Women in Southern Spain

Caregiving practices are profoundly reshaped by migration, particularly for African women in the diaspora. This study examines these transformations through a feminist lens, addressing a gap in the literature on how caregiving and motherhood are renegotiated in transnational contexts. Drawing on thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups, and validating findings through member checking, our research highlights a significant loss of informal support networks, which contributes to the redefinition of motherhood in more individualistic settings. At the same time, participants gain access to institutional support in healthcare, education, and social services—though such access is often limited by structural barriers, discrimination, and institutional racism. Migration thus becomes a space for challenging traditional gender roles, negotiating new family dynamics, and re-signifying caregiving practices.