UNIVERSITY, MOTHERHOOD, AND CARE: TRAJECTORIES OF STUDENT MOTHERS AT THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL WORK (UNER).

Romero, Belén

Abstract

The objective of this article focuses on analyzing the educational trajectories of student mothers pursuing undergraduate degrees at the School of Social Work (FTS) of the National University of Entre Ríos (UNER) in Paraná, between 2018 and 2021, investigating the caregiving strategies deployed during this period. To achieve this objective, semi-structured interviews were conducted with student mothers who are currently or have previously completed their degree at the FTS. The main findings of this research are framed within the various analytical axes used. We consider aspects related to the educational trajectories of student mothers before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in their educational journey, their use of time in relation to paid and unpaid care work, studies, and the various caregiving networks they may have deployed to complete their courses. This work is complemented by a survey of policies aimed at reconciling educational paths and motherhood at the FTS and UNER, reflecting on the role of university policies regarding the de-privatization of care work, considering this issue as an emerging problem in the public sphere.