Care Economies in Context

Join us on February 12 for Connecting Through Care: Navigating Systemic Challenges and Exploring Immigrant Identities in Ethnocultural Care in Canada

Upcoming Care Economies in Context speaker series event features talk by Izumi Niki, Ph.D. student and registered social worker

On February 12, Ph.D. student and Registered Social Worker Izumi Niki will present Connecting Through Care: Navigating Systemic Challenges and Exploring Immigrant Identities in Ethnocultural Care in Canada. This talk is the second in the Care Economies in Context speaker series. A discussion will follow Izumi’s presentation, and a light lunch will be provided.

Abstract

Care, whether paid or unpaid, is a form of work that demands a genuine connection with people. This ‘connective labour’ aspect of care is the core of people’s notion of quality of care and inevitably impacts one’s feelings and satisfaction, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively. This also affects a worker’s sense of belonging and commitment to the community, which is more profound than the ’emotional labour’ discussed in care work theory.

This talk will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of ethnocultural care in Toronto, Canada, its complexity, and the challenges of sustaining it. The study will also explore the profound impact of care work on workers’ identities and sense of self, with a particular emphasis on the experience of marginalized immigrant women in global society.

About the presenter

Izumi Niki is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, and a Registered Social Worker. She has extensive experience working as a care worker in Canada and Japan; in Toronto, she has dedicated years to providing care in ethnocultural long-term care homes. 

Event details

Date: February 12, 2025

Time: 12-1:30 pm ET

Location: UofT Department of Sociology (700 University Ave, 17th Floor), Room 17020

This is a hybrid event, with an option to attend via Zoom. Light lunch will be provided at the in-person event.

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