Conceptualising Care: A Scoping Review of Definitions and Discourses in the Care Economy

Abstract

Background

The term “care economy” is increasingly used in research, policy and public discourse, yet remains inconsistently defined.

Objective

To map how the care economy is conceptualised in recent peer-reviewed literature, identifying common definitions, recurring themes, and notable omissions.

Methods

A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using eight databases. Articles published between January 2018 and November 2023 were screened and analysed. Excel was used for qualitative content analysis and word frequency exploration. Thematic patterns in definitions and discourses were synthesised to highlight dominant framings and gaps.

Results

Out of 354 reviewed articles, 107 explicitly engaged with aspects of the care economy although few offered comprehensive definitions. Analysis revealed dominant themes around informal caregiving, economic burden, gendered care labour and family-based support systems. However, explicit engagement with critical perspectives—such as Indigenous, Black feminist or Global South conceptualisations was rare among the included studies. Quantitative visualisation tools (e.g., word frequency tables and clouds) illustrated prominent terminology but were interpreted alongside thematic analysis.

Conclusion

This review highlights the fragmented and often exclusionary ways in which the care economy is defined in academic literature. Drawing on this mapping, it proposes an evidence-informed working definition, intended as a transparent point of departure rather than a fixed, singular definition, and argues for more inclusive and critically informed frameworks that recognise the diversity of care relationships and the sociopolitical dynamics underpinning them.