Maid to Order in Hong Kong: An Ethnography of Filipina Workers
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Book Overview
As middle-class Chinese women have entered the Hong Kong work force in unprecedented numbers over the past two decades, the demand for foreign domestic workers has soared. Approximately 150,000 individuals now serve on two-year contracts, and the vast majority are women from the Philippines. Nicole Constable tells their story. Interweaving her analysis with the women's individual stories, she shows how power is expressed in the day-to-day lives of...
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0801483824
ISBN13:9780801483820
Release Date:January 1997
Publisher:Cornell University Press
Length:256 Pages
Weight:0.80 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
Accurate and Interesting Study
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Personal knowledge of this topic allows me to say this book is excellent...interesting and the truth. A great work!
Eye-Opening
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
A devastating critique of the capitalist world system, an anthropological study drawn from first-hand case studies, statistics, and the theoretical works of Gramsci, Bourdieu, and Foucault among others. Absolutely compelling reading.
Maids' Lives Unveiled
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
A fascinating window into the lives of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong. Details the many facets of exploitation, abuse and discrimination experienced by these maids. A fine balance between portraying maids as victims as well as agents in their own right, adopting a rather Foucauldian theme of discipline or oppression begetting resistance. Constable's work shuns naive generalizations of maids as passive victims (as many other works have), although I felt that domestic workers' acts of resistance and agency could be interrogated in greater scope and detail. Also provides a well-rounded picture by examining the geopolitics that give rise to demand and supply of domestic workers in Asia and Hong Kong in particular. A thorough and well-researched book synthesizing themes of race, class and gender!
Well written, thoughtful study on a little known topic
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
Let me begin by confessing my bias. I met Dr. Constable at a book signing and have since maintained a warm e-mail friendship. Having said that, I think any one who is interested in the culture of the Philippines, the culture of Hong Kong, the Filipino Diaspora, or the multi-variate roles of women in the emerging cultures of Asia will find a great deal of interesting material, conveyed thoughtfully and with sensitivity.
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