Suchergebnisse

This paper aims to examine the interplay between individual subjectivities and collective action during a strike which occurred at a moment of political transition in Indonesia from Suharto's authoritarian regime to a more democratically inclined government. It attempts to highlight some of the problems in understanding the nature of protest and collective action and the construction of workers' identities. By following the sequence of a strike, we are able to see the collaborations and conflicts between the leaders and those who are central in the protest action and those who are at the margins; between those who join and those who do not join but hope to obtain the benefits of the results. This also means that it provides us with a better understanding of the complexities involved when we refer to "consciousness", "identities", and "experiences" as analytical constructs. Such a focus can counter the often simplistic links made between action and intent, between the economic circumstances and political action.

HILL, BRIDGET. Servants. English Domestics in the Eighteenth Century. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1996. vii, 278 pp. £35.00.ROMANO, DENNIS. Housecraft and Statecraft. Domestic Service in Renaissance Venice, 1400–1600. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore [etc.] 1996. xxvi, 333 pp. Ill. $54.00.Over the last two decades, our understanding of domestic service, its changes throughout history and its links to larger political and economical transformations, has been enriched by feminist and historical scholarship. A first step towards a better understanding of domestic work was made when feminists challenged the dominant theoretical bias that formerly had concentrated exclusively on the production process, and argued that the separation of the domestic and the public which occurred with the emergence of capitalism became the root cause of women's subordination. This separation resulted in a situation where anything associated with the domestic became hidden, undervalued and perceived as unimportant. In later debates this dichotomizing framework has been further developed into discussions on the ways in which "the domestic" may shift in content and form; how it may be associated with not only what is conducted within the home, but also with the type of work (domestic work) and the type of people (women) considered as belonging in the home. Although the boundaries separating the domestic and public spheres may perpetually experience shifts, the implications of this separation are considered to be more or less clear, namely the devaluation of women's work and women's identity.

"Given the transformations taking place in many parts of Southeast Asia, the question of labour remains as pertinent today as it ever has been. Labour issues are central to the social tensions marking the transformations taking place in both rural and urban areas, and underscore the myriad ways people have responded to economic and political crisis. In aiming to understand the multiple and specific dimensions of labour in this region, this book offers a collection of empirical studies across a range of time-frames (colonial and contemporary), economic sectors, labour processes and community contexts

Examines the constraints & potentials of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) & women's groups in Indonesia in advocating for women's interests & needs, in the context of domestic & international politics. A background on the history & situation of NGOs in Indonesia & their domestic & international linkages is given. It is argued that, while international pressure has led to a degree of political space for expressing discontent & opposition, the ability of supranational powers to intervene into national politics is limited, especially concerning human rights. This is seen in the examples of women's campaigns against sexual violence & the struggles for land & worker's rights. It is shown that state intervention in women's struggles is not inherently oppressive, as long as issues are considered nonthreatening, eg, they revolve around the domestic sphere, traditionally associated with women. Further, constraints have come more from in NGOs, due to perceptions of gender often reinforced by the prevalence of patriarchal values in local communities. It is concluded that recognizing & understanding these constraints will help women NGOs find solutions. 18 References. Adapted from the source document.

Critically examines the usefulness of the 'household; concept within the historically and culturally diverse context of Indonesia, exploring in detail the position of women within and beyond domestic arrangements. So far, classical household and kinship studies have not studied how women deal with two major forces which shape and define their world: local kinship traditions, and the universalising ideology of the Indonesian regime, which both provide prescriptions and prohibitions concerning family, marriage, and womanhood. Women are caught between these conflicting notions and practices. How