Gratitude in motion: Temporary families and babies in transit as a humanitarian movement

Abstract

Social values are produced in exchange of social practices: among them, social actors build meaning and power. Gratitude is one of the values and emotions produced in different exchange systems. In this case, I am addressing a legally established circulation system aimed at the care and protection of babies in the Province of Buenos Aires in Argentina. They are the main actors of what is called the Children´s Rights Protection System, whose circulation is crucial for the production of the social value of gratitude: felt by the adults taking care of these infants places babies in an agency position, as active producers of the care and “love” they require...