- 304 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
An eye-opening reckoning with the care economy, from its roots in racial capitalism to its exponential growth as a new site of profit and extraction. Since the earliest days of the pandemic, care work has been thrust into the national spotlight. The notion of care seems simple enough. Care is about nurturing, feeding, nursing, assisting, and loving human beings. It is "the work that makes all other work possible." But as historian Premilla Nadasen argues, we have only begun to understand the massive role it plays in our lives and our economy. Nadasen traces the rise of the care economy, from its roots in slavery, where there was no clear division between production and social reproduction, to the present care crisis, experienced acutely by more and more Americans. Today's care economy, Nadasen shows, is an institutionalized, hierarchical system in which some people's pain translates into other people's profit. Yet this is also a story of resistance. Low-wage workers, immigrants, and women of color in movements from Wages for Housework and Welfare Rights to the Movement for Black Lives have continued to fight for and practice collective care. These groups help us envision how, given the challenges before us, we can create a caring world as part of a radical future.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introduction: The Labors of Life
- Chapter 1: “Part of the Family” Gender, Labor, and the Care Work Discourse
- Chapter 2: What Is Social Reproduction and Why Should I Care?
- Chapter 3: Social Reproduction, Coercion, and Care
- Chapter 4: “Tell ’Dem Slavery Done” Social Reproduction and the Politics of Resistance
- Chapter 5: Who Cares? Caring (or Not Caring) for the Poor
- Chapter 6: In Bed with Capitalism: The State, Capital, and Profiting off Those in Need
- Chapter 7: “But Some of Us Are Brave” Radical Care and the Making of a New World
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
- Index
- Back Cover