Precarious work and legal inequalities among second-generation Romanian women graduates in Spain

This article contributes to women's studies by highlighting the precarious work and inequalities faced by female second-generation Romanian graduates who, having arrived as children in Spain, where they completed their education, cannot find work suited to their educational level. Fifty in-depth interviews with women aged 23 to 32 show that these women face greater difficulties in finding employment than their Spanish counterparts. Gender, ethnicity and class produce both precarious work and legal inequalities. As an innovative element, the article introduces the term of “search for a just place” to express these young women's demands for equal employment and opportunities. The analysis reveals two types of searches for a “just place” among participants: (a) seeking the same employment opportunities as their Spanish counterparts; and (b) having the chance to obtain dual citizenship without losing the link to their identity. The conclusions indicate a new way of thinking about the inclusion of young foreign women who graduated in Spain, while also opening avenues for research into the role of young foreign women in global society.