Work, Labour and Cleaning: The Social Contexts of Outsourcing Housework (Gender and Sociology)

The outsourcing of domestic work in the UK has been steadily rising since the 1970s, but there has been little research into White British women who work as independent providers of cleaning services. Work, Labour and Cleaning is a cross-cultural analysis based on new research into two particular social contexts, one in the UK and one in India. It argues that outsourced domestic cleaning can be undertaken either as work (using mental and manual skills) or as labour (usually defined as unskilled, 'natural' women’s work) depending on the social context and working conditions in which it occurs. The book challenges feminist dogma and popular myths about housework. Front cover Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables About the Author Acknowledgements Series Editors’ Preface Introduction 1. Conceptualising Paid Domestic Work 2. Behind the Words: Introducing the Research Project and Respondents 3. Nuances in the Politics of Demand for Outsourced Housecleaning 4. The Imperfect Contours of Outsourced Domestic Cleaning as Dirty Work 5. Domestic Cleaning: Work or Labour 6. Meanings of Domestic Cleaning as Work and Labour 7. The Occupational Relations of Domestic Cleaning as Work and Labour 8. Concluding the Book, Continuing the Journey Appendices Appendix A: Sample demographics Appendix B: Selection of webpages consulted on Mumsnet and Netmums Notes References Index Back cover Outsourcing of domestic work in the UK has been steadily rising since the 1970s, but little research has considered White British women. This book argues that outsourced domestic cleaning can either be done as mental and manual skilled work or as manual and 'natural' emotional/affective labour, depending on the work conditions. Outsourcing of domestic work in the UK has been steadily rising since the 1970s, but little research has considered White British women. This text argues that outsourced domestic cleaning can either be done as mental and manual skilled work or as manual and 'natural' emotional/affective labour, depending on the work conditions