“If You Want Me to Stay Here, You Have to Take Care of Our Children” Migration and Transnational Motherhood between Cochabamba (Bolivia) and Bergamo (Italy)

This article analyzes the changes in the family configurations caused by the international migration of women from the City of Cochabamba (Bolivia) to Bergamo (Italy) to work in the care sector. It also examines how these Bolivian women practice their transnational maternity. As an introduction, the authors present the main characteristics of the new Bolivian migration to Europe. This is followed by the elements conditioning transnational maternity, in the countries of origin and destination. This general framework allows the authors to analyze multiple family arrangements and the maintenance of emotional bonds characterizing the performance of motherhood in distance, illustrated by the migration and family history of Ana. The hypothesis that a majority of migrant women from Latin America look for family reunification in the country of destination is discussed in the conclusion.