I examine how the structure of welfare states shapes the relationship between care and employment through international comparative analysis. As cross-border migration accelerates, it has become common for women from the Global South to provide care work—such as childcare, eldercare, and domestic labor—in advanced economies. My research to date has focused on migrant women who shoulder this essential care work. Moving forward, I also aim to explore the experiences of women in advanced economies whose careers are supported and enabled by the labor of these migrant care workers.

Japan maintains strong social norms that position women as the primary caregivers and household managers. However, looking beyond Japan reveals that this arrangement is neither universal nor regarded as the ideal in many other countries. Adopting a comparative perspective allows us to recognize that what feels “natural” or “self evident” in one’s own society may not hold true internationally. Such awareness fosters a broader and more inclusive understanding of social norms and possibilities.

e-mail:maki-yoko@sophia.ac.jp　tel:03-3238-3733