Care is on the ballot: Why COVID-19 should push American voters to pay greater attention to the care economy

Big Thinking with Dr. Rachel Brickner

Care is on the ballot : Why COVID-19 should push American voters to pay greater attention to the care economy

Donald Trump and Joe Biden present American voters with a stark choice when it comes to policies about the care economy. COVID-19 has underscored the importance of health care, child and elder-care, and education. While President Trump’s second term agenda largely ignores the care economy, former Vice President Biden offers plans that recognize the value of care work and care workers – intrinsically and as a pillar of the economy. As this Big Thinking lecture will show, the dilemmas about reopening schools offer insights into the importance of taking the care economy seriously this election – and the implications for how Americans provide and receive care if voters do not.

Rachel K. Brickner is Professor of Politics, Acadia University. Her ongoing research explores the politics of public education in the United States and Canada through the lens of a feminist ethic of care. Her scholarly interests have an overarching focus on labour rights and workers’ activism throughout the Americas. She is concurrently working on projects exploring the policy implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers in Nova Scotia. Earlier work, including SSHRC-funded research, has focused on union activism of women and precarious workers in the food service industry, as well as the rights of migrant workers.

Moderator: Ito Peng, Canada Research Chair in Global Social Policy, University of Toronto