PhD Student Sharon Koshy has recently published the chapter The Price of Care: Sociality and Intermediary Networks of Kerala Migrant Care Workers in Israel in the book Diaspora in MENA Region and Beyond, edited by Dr Aditya Anshu (NYU Abu Dhabi), with the University of Johannesburg Press.

The book chapter examines intricate dynamics between intermediate networks and societal ties among the migrant care workers from Kerala in Israel, by situating it within the need for just changes to protect migrant workers' rights by exposing a complex interaction of power, belonging, and exploitation. The chapter surmises that international social networks are crucial in offering support and a sense of belonging, circulation of information and addressing mental health concerns among migrant care workers. Additionally, these networks impart legitimacy to hiring procedures, thus shaping the power dynamics and obfuscating the distinction between ethical and exploitative behaviour. The chapter sheds light on how Malayali migrant care workers utilise community-building activities and weekend get-togethers as "cultural islands of belonging" to negotiate their cultural freedom and practise and recreate a sense of belonging in foreign lands.

Congratulations!