VIRTUAL Barcelona Livable Cities

Abstract

This study presents a postdoctoral research project to identify the factors that explain changes in the mobility scales of Haitian women and mothers in Chile. It examines the intersection of these factors and explores their narratives concerning the impact on health. Additionally, the study highlights the critical role of housing access as a key determinant influencing mobility dynamics and overall well-being. Return migration is a multifaceted phenomenon, structured in stages and driven by urbanization, internal migration, and legislative changes. This three-year research project will focus on women and mothers navigating three scales of mobility: (i) return migration to foreign countries, (ii) internal migration between provinces and regions within Chile, and (iii) daily mobility for routine activities. The study will be conducted in the Bío-Bío region, which records the highest annual influx of foreign individuals (INE, 2023) and is characterized by a significant presence of seasonal migrant workers alongside a growing feminization of the labor force. The central hypothesis posits that changes in mobility scales are shaped by (a) the geographic distribution of support networks (local, national, or transnational) and (b) gender hierarchies, which define women’s roles in religious and community spaces. A gender perspective is fundamental to the analysis, providing a framework for understanding how housing access influences mobility trajectories and overall living conditions.