Reluctant Intimacies: Japanese Eldercare in Indonesian Hands

Book Details:

• Author: Beata Świtek

• Brand: Berghahn Books

• Binding: Library Binding

• ISBN: 9781785332692

• Pages: 242

• Release Date: 30-09-2016

• Package Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches

• Languages: English

About The Book:

Intimacy and Care: Indonesian Eldercare Workers in Japan and Indonesia by Beata Świtek is a groundbreaking ethnography that explores the complex relationships between Indonesian eldercare workers, the elderly they care for, their Japanese colleagues, and their employers. Based on seventeen months of field research conducted in both Japan and Indonesia, this book offers a unique and insightful account of the lives of migrant workers in the context of eldercare.

Through the concept of intimacy, Świtek brings together sociological and anthropological perspectives on migration, the body, demographic changes, and eldercare. This book examines how intimate relationships between migrant workers and the elderly are shaped by cultural, emotional, and bodily experiences, revealing broader societal transformations. It also addresses the influence of mass media representations on the image of the "other" in Japan, particularly in relation to Indonesian migrant workers.

Key Features:

• Ethnographic approach: The book is based on comprehensive ethnographic fieldwork, providing a first-hand account of Indonesian migrant workers in Japan’s eldercare sector.

• Focus on intimacy: The book uses intimacy as a central concept to explore the emotional and social dynamics between migrant workers and the elderly they care for.

• Sociological and anthropological perspectives: It integrates insights from multiple disciplines to offer a nuanced understanding of migration, body, care, and societal change.

• Cross-cultural exploration: The book situates the experiences of Indonesian care workers within the context of Japanese society and its representation of migrant workers.

This work will be of interest to scholars and students of migration studies, anthropology, sociology, and eldercare, offering a detailed examination of a growing social issue in Japan and beyond.