Introduction to Special Issue on Intimacy, Morality, and Precarity: Globalization and Family Care in Africa—Insights from Ghana

With the rise of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and cancer, as well as increased longevity, the role of the family in care has increasing importance in health policy and interventions globally. In low-income settings in sub-Saharan Africa, where health and welfare systems are under-resourced, task shifting to community health workers, volunteers, and family members is sometimes proposed to fill the gaps; however migration, urbanization, and widening social inequality have had profound effects on household structure and the capacity for care. This special issue focuses on Ghana, a country that exemplifies these processes. The contributing articles examine the impact of social, structural, and economic changes on practices of family care for a variety of conditions across the life course in urban and rural locations.