“Exploring the Role of Migrant Workers in European Agriculture”
Carolien Lubberhuizen, a researcher from the University of Utrecht and KU Leuven, investigated the complex social conditions faced by labor migrants and seasonal workers in agriculture within the European research project ReROOT. In regions like Haspengouw, people from different countries come together to work, assisting with tasks such as harvesting, pruning, sorting, and packaging. However, due to job insecurity, language barriers, long working hours, and isolation on fruit plantations, establishing a stable existence remains challenging for these workers.
Carolien conducted fieldwork on the plantations herself, participating in fruit picking and harvesting. Her observations shed light on how these newcomers navigate life in the region. In addition to Haspengouw, she visited cities and rural communities in Romania and Moldova. She compiled her experiences into an exhibition that focuses on the workers, using photos, stories, audio, and objects related to new agricultural rituals to tell the stories of European agriculture and migration.
Carolien Lubberhuizen, a researcher from the University of Utrecht and KU Leuven, investigated the complex social conditions faced by labor migrants and seasonal workers in agriculture within the European research project ReROOT. In regions like Haspengouw, people from different countries come together to work, assisting with tasks such as harvesting, pruning, sorting, and packaging. However, due to job insecurity, language barriers, long working hours, and isolation on fruit plantations, establishing a stable existence remains challenging for these workers.
Carolien conducted fieldwork on the plantations herself, participating in fruit picking and harvesting. Her observations shed light on how these newcomers navigate life in the region. In addition to Haspengouw, she visited cities and rural communities in Romania and Moldova. She compiled her experiences into an exhibition that focuses on the workers, using photos, stories, audio, and objects related to new agricultural rituals to tell the stories of European agriculture and migration.
