Abstract
Domestic labour in South Africa has historically been a site of racial inequality which has continued into the post-apartheid era despite extensive transformation efforts. This article argues that silence presents an avenue for understanding how such racial hierarchy has persisted. We present a qualitative case study of a domestic labour dyad utilising the diary-interview method to analyse the presentation of labour troubles and the perceptions, interpretations, and implications of the unsaid regarding such troubles. Drawing from the data, we demonstrate how intimacy is foregrounded in talk, while domestic labour activities and domestic labour itself go unsaid. We conclude that the intimate nature of domestic labour allows participants to speak about their relationship in ways that make the labour relationship and its racial inequalities become invisible in talk, making it a difficult institution to challenge and change.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2623-2640 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Ethnic and Racial Studies |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 15 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 18 Nov 2019 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Paid domestic labour
- diary-interview method
- intimacy
- post-apartheid South Africa
- racial hierarchy
- silence
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- Anthropology
- Sociology and Political Science