Global Care Chains

This article critically examines the utility of the ‘global care chain’ concept and considers various modifications required to that concept in order to render it a major generative force in feminist and non-feminist research. By way of progressing this research agenda, the discussion critically evaluates the possibilities and limitations of a more rigorous application of global commodity chain analysis, from which the global care chain concept is presently only loosely derived, to transnational care services. The incompatibility of (non-feminist) commodity chain analysis and (feminist) care chain analysis, together with the weaknesses in each of these bodies of analysis, requires the integration of a range of modifications into a revised global care chain framework. These modifications involve foregrounding transnational labour networks and applying an engendered global commodity chain perspective to the analysis of these networks as well as broadening the application of the global care chain concept to embrace a variety of groups and settings. Further research required to progress the development of this field of study is outlined.