Masculinidades en contextos de migración temporera entre España-Francia: jóvenes, consumo de alcohol y violencia de género

Abstract

In this text we reflect on alcohol consumption among young Andalusian males in agricultural migratory contexts, paying attention to the possible relationships with substance use. We have conducted a study, with multi-localized fieldwork in Spain and France between 2020-2023, where we interviewed in depth 31 young Andalusian men involved in the French grape harvest. We used a qualitative methodology to explore how certain practices of consumption and violence can be exacerbated in situations of labor exploitation. Even though consumption is a practice rooted in the place of origin, the results reveal that male and family mandates, harsh working conditions as well as the role of the employer at destination are associated with an increase in alcohol consumption and gender-based violence. Leisure spaces, such as bars and peer-to-peer meetings after work, also play a crucial role in shaping masculinities, which are delineated within the framework of a patriarchal and consumer culture. The mandates of masculinity and migration are not the only factors that explain problematic consumption or violence among young men. These are complex, multi-causal and multidimensional processes that highlight the need for an intersectional understanding.