Second-Class Daughters: Black Brazilian Women and Informal Adoption as Modern Slavery

The author of "Adopted Daughters: The Hidden Lives of Brazilian Domestic Workers" explores the lives of marginalized informal domestic workers called adopted daughters, who live in slave-like conditions in the homes of their adoptive families. She traces a nuanced and disturbing account of how they navigate the realities of racial, gender, and class oppression, while highlighting the resistance and agency of these workers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 271 pages
Publication date: 17 March 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The transatlantic slave trade has left a lasting legacy in Brazil, with the country boasting the largest population of African descendants outside Africa and the highest number of domestic workers globally. Drawing from ten years of extensive interviews and ethnographic research, the author delves into the lives of marginalized informal domestic workers, often referred to as "adopted daughters," who endure slave-like conditions in the homes of their adoptive families. Through a nuanced and, at times, unsettling narrative, the author explores how these adopted daughters, trapped in a system of racial, gender, and class oppression, navigate the coexistence of extreme forms of exploitation and seemingly loving familial interactions and affective relationships.

Hordge-Freeman emphasizes the humanity of her respondents by examining how filhas de criação (raised daughters) navigate the realities of their structural constraints while operating within the pervasive norms of morality, gratitude, and kinship. In doing so, the author sheds light on the intricate connections between contemporary and colonial forms of exploitation, while also highlighting the resilience and agency of informal domestic workers.

This book is a crucial contribution to the study of labor and social inequality, offering a profound understanding of the experiences of adopted daughters and their role in shaping Brazilian society. It sheds light on the complex dynamics of race, gender, and class, and challenges readers to consider the broader implications of historical and ongoing forms of exploitation. By highlighting the resistance and agency of informal domestic workers, this book provides a powerful testament to the resilience and strength of those who are marginalized and oppressed.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009087414
Edition number: New ed