Transnational practices of Filipino women in mixed unions in France: The influence of class and family situation

The figure of the migrant woman domestic worker has characterized the Filipino immigrant population in France for the last three decades. Empirical studies of Filipinos in France have also focused on this figure and consequently tend to overlook the other components of the Filipino population in this country. Here I attempt to shed light on the heterogeneity of this population by examining the case of Filipino women in ethnically “mixed” unions, i.e. those living in conjugal relationship with a non-Filipino partner. Semi-structured interviews and informal conversations were conducted with eleven migrant Filipinas to bring to light the factors that diversify the transnational practices of migrant women. Hence I explored not only their migration trajectories, but also their maintenance of varied ties with their country of origin. These women’s union with a non-Filipino partner provides them opportunities to realize their personal projects as well as their caregiving role to their family left behind. However, the intensity and character of their transnational activities appear to be influenced and differentiated by their social class belonging and by their family situation (notably whether or not they have children who remained in the Philippines)