Unfree: Migrant Domestic Work in Arab States

Unfree explores the experiences of migrant domestic workers in the United Arab Emirates under the kafala system, challenging the notion that it amounts to human trafficking and arguing that it leads to the absence of labor standards and diverse work conditions. It shows how moral standards from various stakeholders shape the unregulated labor of domestic work, with the potential to mitigate or aggravate the arbitrary authority of employers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 05 October 2021
Publisher: Stanford University Press

In the United Arab Emirates, a system known as the kafala governs the employment of migrant domestic workers. These workers are bound by a contract that requires them to work exclusively for their employer, seek permission to leave the country, and obtain their employer's consent to terminate their job. In her book "Unfree," Rhacel Salazar Parreñas delves into the lives of women from the Philippines, who comprise the largest domestic workforce in the country. She challenges prevailing notions about the kafala system, arguing that reducing it to human trafficking is both unproductive and detrimental to genuine efforts to regulate this global system that affects tens of millions of domestic workers.

The kafala system essentially renders migrant workers unfree, as they are subject to the arbitrary authority of their employer. This has led to intense scrutiny and criticism from human rights advocates and scholars. However, Parreñas contends that most employers do not abuse domestic workers or maximize the extraction of their labor. Nevertheless, the fear of abuse dominates much of public discourse and overshadows the more ordinary reality of domestic work in the region.

Drawing on extensive data collected over four years, "Unfree" departs from previous studies by establishing that the kafala system does not necessarily lead to abuse but rather results in the absence of labor standards. This absence is evident in the diverse work conditions across households, ranging from dehumanizing treatment to infantilization and the recognition and respect of domestic workers.

Through her comprehensive analysis, Parreñas sheds light on the complex dynamics of the kafala system and its impact on the lives of migrant domestic workers. She highlights the need for reform and the importance of recognizing the rights and dignity of these workers. "Unfree" is a valuable contribution to the literature on labor migration and human rights, providing a nuanced understanding of the experiences of these vulnerable workers.

Weight: 364g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503629653