Gender and generations: issues of care in the Egyptian diaspora in Milan at the time of COVID-19

Abstract

This article analyzes perceptions and practices of care within the Egyptian migrant community in Milan.The period analyzed is the pandemic period, when the burden of care increased, especially that borne by women caring for the elderly. The exceptionality associated with the historical moment brought out the socioeconomic and gender differences that produce internal distinctions within the Egyptian diaspora.The article builds on a number of interviews with individuals still working or of working age who articulate ideas and practices around the concept of old age, perceived as a phase of life beyond chronological and registry age.The pandemic has contributed to the intensification of discriminatory feelings toward the elderly and the narrative construction of the elderly as "vulnerable" and "at risk." The paper will examine intergenerational care practices and the impact the pandemic has on aspirations, plans for and about old age, and generational and gender relations within Egyptian migrant communities in Milan.