{"product_id":"maid-order-hong-kong-nicole-constable-9780801483820","title":"Maid to Order in Hong Kong | Nicole Constable","description":"\u003ch1\u003eMaid to Order in Hong Kong: Stories of Filipina Workers\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eby Nicole Constable — First Edition Paperback\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaid to Order in Hong Kong\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, anthropologist Nicole Constable provides a penetrating look into the intersection of global labor, gender, and class. Over the past two decades, as middle-class Chinese women entered the Hong Kong workforce in unprecedented numbers, the resulting domestic labor vacuum caused the demand for foreign household workers to soar. Today, approximately 150,000 individuals serve on strict two-year contracts to fill this need, with the vast majority being women who have migrated from the Philippines. Constable masterfully weaves structural socioeconomic analysis with intimate anecdotal evidence collected directly from these workers, revealing how power is exercised—and challenged—in their day-to-day lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe text explores how Filipina guest workers are continually measured against historical precedents of Chinese domestic workers. Their treatment is heavily influenced by deeply entrenched local and cultural preconceptions regarding ethnicity, gender, and social class. Constable meticulously details the multi-layered systems of control imposed upon these women, ranging from state-mandated policies—such as strict regulations prohibiting a worker from serving more than one employer—to the rigid discipline enforced by employment agencies and the employers themselves. These mechanisms of control are staggering in their scope, encompassing everything from threats of physical abuse to highly intrusive personal regulations, including bans on wearing lipstick or restrictions on hair length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAgency and the Art of Resistance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the systemic constraints placed upon them, Constable illustrates that these domestic workers are not passive victims. They actively resist their oppression through a spectrum of methods, including:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrganizing political protests and pursuing formal legal action.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClaiming and repurposing household and public spaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmploying subtle, less confrontational tactics like jokes and workplace pranks to reclaim their autonomy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThematic Depth \u0026amp; Sociological Impact\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA seminal text in sociology, anthropology, and women's studies, \u003cem\u003eMaid to Order in Hong Kong\u003c\/em\u003e cautions against simplistic binaries. Constable warns readers not to categorize these women merely as either wholly \"empowered\" or entirely \"oppressed,\" nor strictly as class-conscious activists or unaware laborers. Many of these women find genuine satisfaction in their work while simultaneously navigating complex power dynamics. This book is an essential read for anyone examining human rights labor, migration patterns, and the nuanced realities of the globalized domestic workforce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBibliographic Data Table\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9780801483820\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-10\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0801483824\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePaperback (Edition 1)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCornell University Press (1997)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePage Count\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e230 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClassification\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSocial Science \/ Anthropology \/ Women's Studies \/ Human Rights Labor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50708300661051,"sku":"0801483824","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780801483820.jpg?v=1780005754","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/maid-order-hong-kong-nicole-constable-9780801483820","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}