Ethel Tungohan | University of Alberta (original) (raw)

Books by Ethel Tungohan

Research paper thumbnail of From the Politics of the Everyday to the Politics from Below: Migrant Domestic Worker Activism in Canada

Research paper thumbnail of Containing Diversity: Canada and the Politics of Immigration in the 21st Century

Research paper thumbnail of Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility

The Philippines became Canada’s largest source of short- and long-term migrants in 2010, surpassi... more The Philippines became Canada’s largest source of short- and long-term migrants in 2010, surpassing China and India, both of which are more than ten times larger. The fourth-largest racialized minority group in the country, the Filipino community is frequently understood by such figures as the victimized nanny, the selfless nurse, and the gangster youth. On one hand, these narratives concentrate attention, in narrow and stereotypical ways, on critical issues. On the other, they render other problems facing Filipino communities invisible.

This landmark book, the first wide-ranging edited collection on Filipinos in Canada, explores gender, migration and labour, youth spaces and subjectivities, representation and community resistance to certain representations. Looking at these from the vantage points of anthropology, cultural studies, education, geography, history, information science, literature, political science, sociology, and women and gender studies, Filipinos in Canada provides a strong foundation for future work in this area.

Peer-Reviewed Articles by Ethel Tungohan

Research paper thumbnail of After the Live-in Caregiver Program: Filipina Caregivers' Experiences of Graduated and Uneven Citizenship

This article assesses the economic precariousness faced by Filipina live-in caregivers during and... more This article assesses the economic precariousness faced by Filipina live-in caregivers during and
after the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Using survey data and focus group interviews, we argue
that live-in caregivers’ unique pathway to immigration lead them to face economic challenges that
are distinct from other immigrants. Not only do live-in caregivers face onerous employment conditions
under the LCP, they have difficulties transitioning into the Canadian labour market because
they face the following challenges: being stigmatized when entering the Canadian labour market,
having to take costly educational upgrading courses while simultaneously working in ‘survival’ jobs,
and having to be their families’ sole breadwinners. Despite these structural barriers, however, the
live-in caregivers in our study strove to transition into Canadian society through their resilience and
hard work. Regardless of the economic challenges that they themselves faced during and after the
LCP, most saw their future in Canada and felt that coming to the country was “worth it.”

Research paper thumbnail of “Reconceptualizing Motherhood, Reconceptualizing Resistance: Migrant Domestic Workers, Transnational Hyper-Maternalism, and Activism.”

Female labour migrants face contradictory expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to be ... more Female labour migrants face contradictory expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to be their families and communities’ economic saviours. On the other hand, they are expected to meet their maternal responsibilities even while they are abroad; otherwise, they face charges of maternal neglect.

My goal in this paper is to highlight how female migrant workers handle these conflicting demands. I discuss how migrant women simultaneously adapt to and challenge imposed family separation through the case study of Filipina live-in caregivers in Canada. They do this in two ways.

First, they exhibit transnational hyper-maternalism which allows them to overcome accusations of neglect. They ‘mother across borders’ by providing for their families and by using technology to supervise, monitor, and communicate with their children. In doing so, they reify and contest established gender roles.

Second, they are active in civil society. In doing so, they highlight the negative consequences migrant women and their families face. Reconceptualized notions of motherhood characterize migrant women’s transnational parenting while the desire to ameliorate the negative consequences of family separation and reunification explain their activism.

Research paper thumbnail of Is Global Sisterhood Elusive? A Critical Assessment of the Transnational Women's Rights Movement

Atlantis: A Women's Studies Journal/Revue d'etudes …, Jan 1, 2010

Ethel Tungohan is a PhD Candidate in Political Science and W omen's Studies at the University of ... more Ethel Tungohan is a PhD Candidate in Political Science and W omen's Studies at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include transnational feminism, social movement theory, and public policy.

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking an assessment of nicotine dependence: a sex, gender and diversity analysis of the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence

Journal of Smoking …, Jan 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Engendering tobacco control: using an international public health treaty to reduce smoking and empower women

Tobacco Control, Jan 1, 2007

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters by Ethel Tungohan

Research paper thumbnail of International Approaches to Governing Temporary Labour Migrants: A Critical Assessment of the UN Committee on Migrant Workers, the ILO Conventions on Labour Migration, and the International Migrants Alliance

Research paper thumbnail of "Protecting Temporary Labour Migrants: An Emerging Role for Global Cities," in Harald Bauder (editor), Immigration and Settlement: Challenges, Experiences, and Opportunities in Global and Local Contexts. Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars Press, pp. 75-93. (2011).

Research paper thumbnail of "Debunking Notions of Migrant ‘Victimhood’: A Critical Assessment of Temporary Labour Migration Programs and Filipina Migrant Activism in Canada," in Roland Coloma, Bonnie McElhinney, Ethel Tungohan, and JP Catungal (editors), Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility. Toronto, ON: UTP.

Commissioned Reports by Ethel Tungohan

Research paper thumbnail of Global migration and development: Is co-development the answer?

Global tensions, global possibilities

Draft Papers by Ethel Tungohan

Research paper thumbnail of Making Migrants Matter: Non-citizens and Political Membership

The goal of this paper is to explore normative and empirical arguments regarding the claims tempo... more The goal of this paper is to explore normative and empirical arguments regarding the claims temporary labour migrants can make on the receiving state, focusing primarily on Western liberal states. The first part of this paper considers whether liberal multicultural policies can accommodate the needs of temporary labour migrants, ultimately concluding that multicultural models are too limited and are unable to recognize the membership of 'undesirable' citizens, much less that of non-citizens. Departing from the multicultural model, the second part of this paper explores various normative stances regarding the treatment of temporary labour migrants, ranging from Nandita Sharma's endorsement of open borders to Joseph Carens' 'contextual approach' to temporary migrants' entitlements. The third and final part of this paper concludes by reflecting on policy proposals made by temporary labour migrants themselves, and considers the feasibility of their proposals in light of the migration restrictions imposed by receiving states.

Research paper thumbnail of From the Politics of the Everyday to the Politics from Below: Migrant Domestic Worker Activism in Canada

Research paper thumbnail of Containing Diversity: Canada and the Politics of Immigration in the 21st Century

Research paper thumbnail of Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility

The Philippines became Canada’s largest source of short- and long-term migrants in 2010, surpassi... more The Philippines became Canada’s largest source of short- and long-term migrants in 2010, surpassing China and India, both of which are more than ten times larger. The fourth-largest racialized minority group in the country, the Filipino community is frequently understood by such figures as the victimized nanny, the selfless nurse, and the gangster youth. On one hand, these narratives concentrate attention, in narrow and stereotypical ways, on critical issues. On the other, they render other problems facing Filipino communities invisible.

This landmark book, the first wide-ranging edited collection on Filipinos in Canada, explores gender, migration and labour, youth spaces and subjectivities, representation and community resistance to certain representations. Looking at these from the vantage points of anthropology, cultural studies, education, geography, history, information science, literature, political science, sociology, and women and gender studies, Filipinos in Canada provides a strong foundation for future work in this area.

Research paper thumbnail of After the Live-in Caregiver Program: Filipina Caregivers' Experiences of Graduated and Uneven Citizenship

This article assesses the economic precariousness faced by Filipina live-in caregivers during and... more This article assesses the economic precariousness faced by Filipina live-in caregivers during and
after the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Using survey data and focus group interviews, we argue
that live-in caregivers’ unique pathway to immigration lead them to face economic challenges that
are distinct from other immigrants. Not only do live-in caregivers face onerous employment conditions
under the LCP, they have difficulties transitioning into the Canadian labour market because
they face the following challenges: being stigmatized when entering the Canadian labour market,
having to take costly educational upgrading courses while simultaneously working in ‘survival’ jobs,
and having to be their families’ sole breadwinners. Despite these structural barriers, however, the
live-in caregivers in our study strove to transition into Canadian society through their resilience and
hard work. Regardless of the economic challenges that they themselves faced during and after the
LCP, most saw their future in Canada and felt that coming to the country was “worth it.”

Research paper thumbnail of “Reconceptualizing Motherhood, Reconceptualizing Resistance: Migrant Domestic Workers, Transnational Hyper-Maternalism, and Activism.”

Female labour migrants face contradictory expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to be ... more Female labour migrants face contradictory expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to be their families and communities’ economic saviours. On the other hand, they are expected to meet their maternal responsibilities even while they are abroad; otherwise, they face charges of maternal neglect.

My goal in this paper is to highlight how female migrant workers handle these conflicting demands. I discuss how migrant women simultaneously adapt to and challenge imposed family separation through the case study of Filipina live-in caregivers in Canada. They do this in two ways.

First, they exhibit transnational hyper-maternalism which allows them to overcome accusations of neglect. They ‘mother across borders’ by providing for their families and by using technology to supervise, monitor, and communicate with their children. In doing so, they reify and contest established gender roles.

Second, they are active in civil society. In doing so, they highlight the negative consequences migrant women and their families face. Reconceptualized notions of motherhood characterize migrant women’s transnational parenting while the desire to ameliorate the negative consequences of family separation and reunification explain their activism.

Research paper thumbnail of Is Global Sisterhood Elusive? A Critical Assessment of the Transnational Women's Rights Movement

Atlantis: A Women's Studies Journal/Revue d'etudes …, Jan 1, 2010

Ethel Tungohan is a PhD Candidate in Political Science and W omen's Studies at the University of ... more Ethel Tungohan is a PhD Candidate in Political Science and W omen's Studies at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include transnational feminism, social movement theory, and public policy.

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking an assessment of nicotine dependence: a sex, gender and diversity analysis of the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence

Journal of Smoking …, Jan 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Engendering tobacco control: using an international public health treaty to reduce smoking and empower women

Tobacco Control, Jan 1, 2007

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, a... more JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Research paper thumbnail of Global migration and development: Is co-development the answer?

Global tensions, global possibilities

Research paper thumbnail of Making Migrants Matter: Non-citizens and Political Membership

The goal of this paper is to explore normative and empirical arguments regarding the claims tempo... more The goal of this paper is to explore normative and empirical arguments regarding the claims temporary labour migrants can make on the receiving state, focusing primarily on Western liberal states. The first part of this paper considers whether liberal multicultural policies can accommodate the needs of temporary labour migrants, ultimately concluding that multicultural models are too limited and are unable to recognize the membership of 'undesirable' citizens, much less that of non-citizens. Departing from the multicultural model, the second part of this paper explores various normative stances regarding the treatment of temporary labour migrants, ranging from Nandita Sharma's endorsement of open borders to Joseph Carens' 'contextual approach' to temporary migrants' entitlements. The third and final part of this paper concludes by reflecting on policy proposals made by temporary labour migrants themselves, and considers the feasibility of their proposals in light of the migration restrictions imposed by receiving states.