Anthropological study of national development and transnational Kenyan women.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01207
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: University of the Sacred Heart
• Principal Investigator: ISHII YOKO 聖心女子大学, 現代教養学部, 教授 (30431969)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 移動・越境 / ケニア / ギクユ人女性 / 頭脳流出 / 米国

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the research findings of a long-term residential study in the U.S. and Kenya, this study clarified the realities of Gikuyu immigrant women and their relationship with their home countries, which have increased rapidly since 2000. The study revealed that female immigrants, who had been perceived as subordinate, actually started their lives in the U.S. by seeking diverse supports, started earning earlier than men, became independent, entered niche industries, and lived strategically and mutually beneficial lives. Many of these women were health care workers and sent large remittances to their parents' homes and home countries. They had strong ties to their home countries, including orphanages, churches, and scholarship support. Although the women migrants were remotely supported by friends and family back home who were connected by cell phone, the networks spun by the women migrants in the new country were multidimensional.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

カースルズ(2014:16)らは、近年の国際移動の特徴を「移民の女性化」と称し、看護師や家事労働者といった女性の国際労働者の増加を指摘した。しかし、本研究で注目した在米ケニア人女性移民は、男性出稼ぎ者の帯同家族として軽視され、実態が見えない状態であった。実際、米国大学の留学生や男性移民の家族として渡米する女性が急増し、筆者が出会ったケニア人女性看護師の多くは米国で専門的な知識を得て移住先に住み続ける頭脳流出の状態にあった。グローバリゼーションの時代が深化し、外国技術との連結をさらに求められるケニア社会の牽引者として女性移民に注目することは、アフリカ研究の新しい視点として重要である。