Abstract. Migrant domestic workers in Singapore are situated in a highly hierarchical environment, requiring them to live and work in the same place. This spatial situation leads to a lack of space and time
for the female workers which challenges their psychosocial well-being. We
ask how the women, nevertheless, develop psychosocial well-being, based on
their recognition and subjective embodied positioning, analytically grasped
through the concept of ontological (in)security. Based on qualitative
interviews, we show how the workers perceive and produce ontological
(in)security through spatial dimensions of visibility and belonging. These
dimensions are subjectively embodied in multiple places and networks. On
behalf of multiple visibilities and belongings outside the domestic realm,
domestic care workers in Singapore are able to actively produce ontological
security and strengthen their psychosocial well-being. The results show the
relevance of implementing regulations for the women to have more
possibilities in choosing their whereabouts.
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