Economic crisis, austerity discourses and caregiving: how to remain relevant through engagement and social justice.

摘要

In the last 2 years, we have witnessed considerable social and economic change in Europe, with clashes in the streets of Greece being its most recent manifestation and the political stability of the European Union put to test. In this commentary, we argue that the decline of the Mediterranean welfare state, in particular with respect to Spain, has resulted in the responsibility for caregiving moving from the state back to the family, primarily women. We begin by describing Spanish policies related to caregiving before and after the 2008 crisis, and then present some of the effects of structural adjustments currently being implemented by several European nations. Next, we discuss the need for health care scholars and practitioners to engage with alternative visions of health care that are sensitive to the limitations of neoliberalism and focus on the importance of socialjustice in ensuring the health of populations.