Between work and care: a comparative study of the trajectories of women from different social classes in Cuba and Argentina

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of the employment and caregivingtrajectories of women from different social classes in Cuba and Argentina,framed within the broader context of persistent gender and class inequalities inLatin America. Based on 24 biographical interviews, the study shows that women’sincreasing participation in paid employment coexists with a disproportionate burdenof caregiving responsibilities, generating tensions and constraints that affect theiraccess to and retention in the labor market. Although both countries maintain stateprotectionist welfare systems, their structural differences—a socialist model withstrong state involvement in Cuba and a capitalist model characterized by labormarket segmentation in Argentina—do not prevent families, and particularly women,from continuing to serve as the primary providers of wellbeing. The findings revealthat women across social classes in both contexts adopt similar strategies to navigatethe double burden of paid work and caregiving, illustrating the resilience andadaptability required to manage these overlapping demands. The analysis highlightsthe interplay between macrosocial structures such as welfare systems, mesosocialdynamics including labor markets and care policies, and microsocial dimensionsshaped by individual trajectories. These multilevel interactions demonstratehow inequalities emerge at the intersection of gender, class, and care work. Thearticle concludes by underscoring the need for comprehensive and co responsiblepublic policies that recognize care work as a right and promote shared responsibilityamong the state, the market, families, and communities. Strengthening socialprotection systems in this direction is essential to addressing entrenched inequalitiesand advancing toward more equitable and sustainable models of care.