UTSC Social Policy Book Blog: Women and Work: Feminism, Labour, and Social Reproduction

Ferguson, S. (2019). Women and Work: Feminism, Labour, and Social Reproduction. Pluto Press.

Image Source: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745338712/women-and-work/

Book Overview:

In 2016, Hilary Clinton was nominated as the presidential candidate for the Democratic Party. Despite winning the majority vote, Clinton lost the presidential election to Donald Trump, a well-known misogynist. Shortly thereafter in January 2017, women took to the streets in order to protest Trump’s lewd statements and policy promises. From the Women’s March to #METOO, 2016 marked a notable resurgence of feminist movements across the world. This global feminist resurgence is the jumping-off point for Susan Ferguson’s Women and Work.

Women and Work: Feminism, Labour and Social Reproduction by Susan Ferguson focuses on the ways feminist and social reproduction theorist understood women’s work in relation to capitalism and oppression. Ferguson contextualizes feminist theorizations of gendered labour along three trajectories: equality feminism, critical equality and social reproduction feminism (Ferguson, 2019). She provides a historical overview of the emergence of feminist movements in Western Europe and North America from the rise of equality feminism in the late 19th century to the hard-fought battles for intersectionality and feminism for the 99% in contemporary feminist discourses (Ferguson, 2019).

In the second half of the text, Ferguson delves into social reproduction feminism, drawing a map of the various theorizations of social reproduction theories, in relation to the devaluation and division of women’s work. Ferguson argues that while rooted in academic theory, valuable insights can be drawn from social reproduction feminism to reimagine and reorganize labour from a capitalist model to a model which prioritizes the health, security, and creativity of humanity (Ferguson, 2019).

About Author:

Image Source: https://www.wlu.ca/academics/faculties/faculty-of-liberal-arts/faculty-profiles/sue-ferguson/index.html

Susan “Sue” Ferguson is a Canadian scholar, journalist, and author. She is an associate professor in the Department of Digital Media and Journalism, and Youth and Children’s Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University ("Sue Ferguson", n.d.). Ferguson is an established reporter who worked as a Senior Writer for the Canadian news magazine Maclean’s ("Sue Ferguson", n.d.). Her research interests are social reproduction feminism, feminist political economy, and the social reproduction of childhood and families ("Sue Ferguson", n.d.).

Wilfrid Laurier University. "Sue Ferguson." Laurier,
www.wlu.ca/academics/faculties/faculty-of-liberal-arts/faculty-profiles/sue-
ferguson/index.html

Other Notable Works by Susan Ferguson:

Ferguson, S. (1999). Building on the strengths of the socialist feminist tradition.
Critical Sociology, 25(1):1-15.

Ferguson, S. (2009). Canadian contributions to social reproduction feminism, race
and embodied labor. Race, Gender & Class, 42-57.

Ferguson, S. (2013). Capitalist Childhood in Film: Modes of Critique.

Reading Guide Questions:

Question’s Answered by Wenyi Fu (WF), Ximan Tang (XT), Zhixiang Fang (ZF)

1. In the chapter The Labour Lens, Ferguson states “Feudal peasants and serfs did indeed spend their lives working - often under harsh conditions. But work was something they did to survive. They did not also, as those in capitalist societies must, survive to work.” What does Ferguson mean? How does capitalism reorganize work to create conditions in which people must “survive to work”?

XT: In the introduction, Ferguson states that “there’s a reason that Euro-Western feminists started thinking and writing about work when they did. It has to do with capitalism” (Ferguson, 2019). The women had been forced into the capitalist system which ensured the gap between the rich in the society and the poor workers was always huge (Ferguson, 2019). The women workers were always forced to work to continue feeding their families (Ferguson, 2019). Working was therefore not an option to them but a forced responsibility they had to undertake to ensure that they continued getting what they needed (Ferguson, 2019). The answer to the puzzle can also be found on the problem posed by capitalism and as described by Karl Marx. Capitalism does not address inequality. It continues to increase the gap between different groups in society. The notion that all people can get rich by working hard is proven wrong by capitalism. Capitalism ensures that the hardworking workers are only paid enough to sustain their basic needs without allowing them to join the bourgeoisie. Ferguson, therefore, meant that as much as feudal peasants and feuds spent their time working, there were limited chances of them breaking the ceiling that caged them in poverty (Ferguson, 2019). The rich easily manipulate the system in a capitalistic society. They often ensure the salaries remain low (Ferguson, 2019). From a feminist perspective, the wage gap between men and women has been advanced by capitalism. Capitalism and patriarchy are the major reasons women lagged behind in labor environments in the 19^th and 20^th century.

2. In the chapter The Rational-Humanist Roots of Equality, Ferguson discusses the origins and rise of Equality Feminism* beginning in eighteenth-century Western Europe. Describe the impact of equality feminism on early feminist movements in relation to women’s work. How do you think equality feminism has been challenged and/or reinforced in contemporary feminist discourses, and our broader society, in relation to women’s work and/or life?

*Equality feminism - the focus on establishing equality amongst the sexes by leveraging the similarities between men and women

XT: Labor feminists believed that legislation could be used to address the challenges that women were facing in labor. The oppression of women remains a major theme in social history. As a subset of mainstream feminism, equality feminism focused on the equality of sexes in areas such as labor. Women were treated differently from men in wages, promotions and also in hiring. Equality feminists felt that the barriers needed to be removed so that women could be allowed to work in a fair environment. In “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” in 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft focused on issues such as women's education and workers’ rights as the approach that needed to be used to set the roadmap towards an equal society. However, equality feminism picked pace in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. During this period, it managed to address the wage gap that had existed between men and women despite the two offering equal services in a given job. Equality feminism increased awareness of women's opportunity to compete for education. This was a defined roadmap that would be used to grant opportunities with women. At the beginning of the struggle, few women had formal education. Equality feminism promoted education with millions of women going through the education system to get the required skills to serve. Once they qualified, equality feminism ensured they were granted equal hiring opportunities with men. The feminists also pushed for equal pay since a huge gap existed between the sexes. Gender discrimination was one of the barriers limiting the rise of women. Ferguson described the rise of women like Hillary Clinton in a male-dominated field as the culmination of efforts made by women for years. Her rise and other women during the 20^th and 21^st century was a result of the efforts made since the 15^th century to address the barriers that women faced in a society that was patriarchal and ready to continue advancing the patriarchal elements.

3. Women and Work identifies two approaches to understanding women’s work in socialist feminism theory: 1) The theorization of women’s unpaid work as a “special struggle” somewhat distinct from the struggles of capitalism; or 2) Women’s unpaid work as a function of capitalism and therefore an important part of anti-capitalist struggles. Using examples from the book and your own experiential and academic knowledge, Which approach do you think better reflects women’s experience in the labor market, and with unpaid work?

WF: The second description, “women’s unpaid work as a function of capitalism and therefore an important part of anticapitalist struggles” best reflect women’s experience in the labor market, and with unpaid work. Women were struggling in capitalistic systems where they were addressing a number of challenges at the same time. On one hand, they were being limited by capitalism from bridging the socio-economic barrier that forced them to remain workers. On the other hand, they were pushed down by a patriarchal system that favored men and ensured women worked in unfair conditions and received poor pay despite offering similar services to men. Feminist struggles can be viewed as a struggle to break the barriers put in place by capitalism. Capitalism promotes inequality.Ferguson argued that critical equality feminism thus combines two forms of analysis: a rational-humanist critique of women’s unpaid labor and a political-economic critique of waged labor. Therefore, the second description incorporates both views as given by Ferguson. The political-economic setting did not favor women. It is important to note that in countries like the United States, women were only allowed to vote in 1920. They could not participate in the process that yielded the leaders who were supposed to pass legislation to address their issues. The leaders at the time were okay with the capitalistic setting that maintained the status quo. It is only in the 20^th century that major developments were made with men supporting women to institute labor laws that brought equality. However, capitalism continues to maintain the status quo and the gap between the rich and the poor. Maybe it is the right time capitalism was reviewed as it has proven to be unsustainable.

4. In the Chapter Equal Work for and Against Capitalism, Ferguson states that the “racialization of domestic services were (and still is) a global phenomenon, bound up with colonial-imperial expansion and patterns of international migration”. Using examples from the book, and if relevant to you, your own experiential and academic knowledge: discuss how the racialization of domestic work has reorganized work for racialized and migrant women. How was/is racialized and migrant women’s work organized in relation to the work available to upper and middle-class white women?

ZF: Ferguson argued that “Thompson and Wheeler also mounted a moral critique that viewed domestic work as obstructive to women's freedom” (Ferguson, 2019). The issue of domestic work was therefore not only racialized but also a product of socialization. While upper and middle-class white women struggle to get better jobs, immigrant women are still struggling with domestic work. This is mainly due to the lag they suffered when white women were pushing for their position in the economic and political platform. The immigrant women were fighting another battle on racial discrimination which they are still fighting to have their position in society. The disparities present in different areas between these women and white women is due to the slow take off they experienced when feminism was addressing issues like education and labor when they were struggling with racial discrimination.

**Bonus Question***

In an era defined by neoliberalism and globalization, much of the manufacturing industry has been transported to global-South nations. With this, manufacturing jobs have become feminized, low wage, precarious and dangerous? How have feminist and societal discourses (and discussions) on women’s work changed as a result of this global shift?

5. In the chapter Anti-Racist Feminism and Women's Work, Ferguson discusses the development of the black feminist movement. What is black feminism and how does it differ from equality and critical equality feminism?

ZF: Black feminism is defined as an offshoot of feminism that tries to understand feminism from the experience of Black or African American women. Due to the intersectionality of elements such as racism, class oppression and sexism, Black women have lagged behind in the feminism campaign which calls for increased attention so that they can match their white counterparts. The focus of Black feminism is slightly different from equality feminism. Black feminism seeks to address issues such as white supremacy and patriarchy at the same time. The two have been identified as the major barriers that the women have faced over the years. Equality feminism did not grant them the freedom and benefits they would have wished due to white supremacy. Racism is an institutionalized vice in the society which Black women must face to reach the position of their white counterparts. Therefore, while equality feminism focused on issues such as equal wages and gender discrimination, Black feminism introduces the element of race in the struggle to ensure the barriers faced over the years are addressed.

**Bonus Question**

The structure and stability of the family are very important to social reproduction. How did slavery in the U.S. restructure Black families? What were/are the impacts of this restructuring (see chapter 5)?

6. In the 20th century, social reproduction feminism theorists began to explore the fundamental significance of housework and its impact on women's families and work. According to Ferguson, how did the capitalist devaluation of housework impact the perception of women's value in society?

WF: Marxist feminism explored the intersection between feminism and capitalism. The focus was on the exploitation of women by capitalism and also in the ownership of property. The value of women in society under capitalism was reduced since they were viewed as poor contributors to capital and property. Capitalism ensured that women were fixed to do housework that could not be quantified while men engaged in other quantifiable activities. As such, women did not have a claim on a property. Capitalist devaluation of housework made it hard for women to make a claim about their contribution to property ownership. The women were also limited from exploring opportunities as compared to men. The value of women was tagged to their contribution to society. The patriarchal and capitalist setting did not give them opportunities to compete or complement men in their struggles. Capitalism had to be challenged to grant women an equal opportunity and break the perception that had been associated with housework.

Complementary Reads:

1. For those interested in Social Reproduction Theory: Social Reproduction Theory: Remapping Class, Recentering Oppression