Rural Women’s Invisible Work in Census and State Rural Development Plans: The Argentinean Patagonian Case

Paula Gabriela Núñez,Carolina Lara Michel,Paula Alejandra Leal Tejeda,Martín Andrés Núñez

doi:10.3390/land9030092

Abstract

This article reviews the invisibility and the recognition of rural female work in the Patagonian region of Argentina over time. The analysis is carried out based on (a) the systematisation of research articles (b) a historical study of censuses, and (c) the systematisation of rural development plans related to the subject. The article adopts an ecofeminist perspective. The results have been organised into four sections. (1) An overview of the later Patagonian integration; (2) the work of Patagonian women in history; (3) the recognition of rural production in censuses; (4) Patagonian family farming. We found out that the metaphors that relate women with the land are used to deny both rural female work and the family land use. One of its consequences is that Patagonia has become one of the most affected by extractivism. We conclude reviewing the forms of economic and political recognition, which could intervene in future planning.

Highlights

Feminist theories recognise that women’s work is invisible in different ways
In Patagonia ‘altruism’, as a non-valuation argument, takes on a dimension which allows us to think about the aspects of the denial of Patagonian rural female work
The problems of recognition of female work are transferred to the territory itself and lead to the current considerations of family farming as areas located in Patagonia and organised around domestic efforts

Summary

Introduction

Feminist theories recognise that women’s work is invisible in different ways. Mellor [1] argues that there exists an imposed altruism, that implies women themselves often threaten their own work recognition [2]. Mellor identifies the circumscription of feminine work to limited space and unbounded time, which is unpaid or an altruistic work. Male work is understood in the context of unlimited space, with defined time and acknowledged by a reward. In Patagonia ‘altruism’, as a non-valuation argument, takes on a dimension which allows us to think about the aspects of the denial of Patagonian rural female work. Leon [3] shows that with regard to women’s work in

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