Kamala Kempadoo
York University, Social Science, Faculty Member
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Caribbean sexuality is both hypervisible and obscured. That is, it is celebrated in popular culture as an important ingredient in Caribbean social life and flaunted to attract tourists to the region, yet is shrouded in double entendre,... more
Caribbean sexuality is both hypervisible and obscured. That is, it is celebrated in popular culture as an important ingredient in Caribbean social life and flaunted to attract tourists to the region, yet is shrouded in double entendre, secrecy and shame. In this article, I present a review of the main trends in studies of Caribbean sexuality, arguing that while there are few exclusive studies on the subject there is much we can draw upon for insights into Caribbean sexual relations, sexual expressions and sexual identities. Drawing from published as well as “grey ” materials, this article points out that Caribbean sexuality is often perceived and analysed as linked to force and (domestic) violence against women and children, sexually transmitted infections (i.e. HIV and AIDS), and economic imperatives. It is also widely accepted as attached to heterosexuality and gendered imbalances of power, as well as to men’s sexual agency. Studies of same-sex relations, transactional sex, prosti...
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In January 2013, on a visit to Georgetown Guyana, I had a special opportunity to interview Andaiye about research by the women’s organization Red Thread. Andaiye is a co-founder and organizer of Red Thread, as well as an internationally... more
In January 2013, on a visit to Georgetown Guyana, I had a special opportunity to interview Andaiye about research by the women’s organization Red Thread. Andaiye is a co-founder and organizer of Red Thread, as well as an internationally renowned activist for working women’s rights. While aspects of her work with Red Thread have been covered in various media, I hoped through the interview to hone in on her perspective of the roles and meanings of research in the organization’s activities and to add to the documentation of Red Thread’s unique experience with research. During the interview, Andaiye repeatedly stressed that she did not have all the information and that certain details needed verifying by other members of Red Thread. After the interview she filled in and elaborated on the transcript as much as possible. The following, then, is an example of a mixed method for documenting history and practice, incorporating a great deal of reflection and some dialogue, and bringing to lig...
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Prostitution has been a persistent theme in the study of society since the nineteenth century, although it is only in second half of the twentieth century that it fully entered social studies as a subject worthy of full academic... more
Prostitution has been a persistent theme in the study of society since the nineteenth century, although it is only in second half of the twentieth century that it fully entered social studies as a subject worthy of full academic consideration. In this chapter I identify four main approaches in social studies and research that have been prominent, according to assumptions and explanations about sexual and gender relations. I define the most recent approach as “Sex Work Studies.” It is important to keep in mind that while each trend is presented as distinct, there are many overlaps, borrowings, and blendings that have occurred between them and with other ideas that are not described here. The approaches therefore should not be treated as discrete or autonomous, but rather can be read as trends in which a specific account of gender and sex dominate political, theoretical, and social work on prostitution at different periods in history.
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Neste texto apresento perspectivas e abordagens importantes no debate internacional sobre o tráfico de pessoas, e sublinho alguns dos principais pontos de crítica sobre o referencial contemporâneo hegemônico, pontos esses articulados... more
Neste texto apresento perspectivas e abordagens importantes no debate internacional sobre o tráfico de pessoas, e sublinho alguns dos principais pontos de crítica sobre o referencial contemporâneo hegemônico, pontos esses articulados através de projetos de pesquisa-ação e de intervenções contra o tráfico nas bases da sociedade. Argumento que, a despeito de mudanças substanciais no entendimento global sobre o tráfico, fortemente influenciadas por dois discursos feministas claramente diferentes (feminismo radical e feminismo transnacional), muito do que se busca hoje em nome de uma guerra ao tráfico tem conseqüências problemáticas para comunidades pobres ao redor do mundo, e tem implicações em termos de raça e gênero. As políticas norte-americanas são aqui trazidas ao debate para ilustrar algumas dessas tendências.
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Encouraged by the US, the Caribbean is being drawn into a global panic over human trafficking, leading to greater policing and surveillance of migrant women and the sex trade. Drawing on colonial precedents, the moral outrage about women... more
Encouraged by the US, the Caribbean is being drawn into a global panic over human trafficking, leading to greater policing and surveillance of migrant women and the sex trade. Drawing on colonial precedents, the moral outrage about women trafficked into prostitution, embodied in legislation such as the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act, obscures the deeper causes of exploitation and oppression and leads to the demonisation of those in undocumented, hyper-exploited labour forces. Moreover, the false equation of trafficking with prostitution renders sexual labour as coerced labour and, as such, misrepresents sexual agency.
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This anthology of essays by scholars, activists, and organization leaders uses studies concerning both male and female sex workers of primarily Third World and developing countries to explore the social and economic issues of the... more
This anthology of essays by scholars, activists, and organization leaders uses studies concerning both male and female sex workers of primarily Third World and developing countries to explore the social and economic issues of the industry. The writers first define both the forced and voluntary trafficking of sex in terms of a labor pool that is often migratory and at times even unionized. Issues of race and morality also play a role in the status and legitimacy of sex workers. These writings also highlight the major organizational movements and conferences of sex workers since the 1970s, as well as discussing the effects of AIDS and other health issues. Much of the literature on prostitution centers on Western cultures or single localities in the developing world.
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4 Jvoti Sanghera too disparate in their culinary skills, and have at their disposal a budget which is far too lavish for a mere broth. These "too many cooks" have not only managed to spoil the... more
4 Jvoti Sanghera too disparate in their culinary skills, and have at their disposal a budget which is far too lavish for a mere broth. These "too many cooks" have not only managed to spoil the broth, but some of them have also ended up bonking each other with their spatulas. I ...
Resumo No Canadá atual, as questões envolvendo o tráfico humano estão em alta na agenda pública. Uma variedade de atividades é incluída dentro dessa rubrica, incluindo a prostituição doméstica, na qual cruzar fronteiras nacionais ou... more
Resumo No Canadá atual, as questões envolvendo o tráfico humano estão em alta na agenda pública. Uma variedade de atividades é incluída dentro dessa rubrica, incluindo a prostituição doméstica, na qual cruzar fronteiras nacionais ou internas não é um pré-requisito para como o Estado define o tráfico. O Canadá não está sozinho em sua definição expansiva de tráfico humano. Globalmente, trabalho sexual/prostituição, “tráfico sexual”, trabalho infantil, trabalho migrante infantil, e “escravidão moderna” são parte integral dos discursos hegemônicos sobre “os horrores” do tráfico humano. Neste artigo analiso três campanhas proeminentes que sustentam esse discurso e discuto algumas das ações que essas campanhas promoveram. Argumento que um exame mais detalhado deixa visível uma versão do século XXI do “fardo do homem branco” apoiado por interesses ocidentais, corporativos e neoliberais contemporâneos, através dos quais, a exploração e o abuso sem restrições da vida e da força dos/as trabal...
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... Women, Race, and Tourism in Cuba 81 Nadine Fernandez Part 3: The Hustle and Struggle Sector 5 Women's Work Is Never Done: Sex Tourism in Sosua, the Dominican Republic 93 Amalia L. Cabezas... more
... Women, Race, and Tourism in Cuba 81 Nadine Fernandez Part 3: The Hustle and Struggle Sector 5 Women's Work Is Never Done: Sex Tourism in Sosua, the Dominican Republic 93 Amalia L. Cabezas 6" Come to Jamaica and Feel All Right": Tourism and the Sex Trade 125 ...
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... and imperial white male power and privilege outside the confines of marriage and citizenship ...Feminist approaches to prostitution and other types of sex work need careful ... Universalizations and generalizations from white European... more
... and imperial white male power and privilege outside the confines of marriage and citizenship ...Feminist approaches to prostitution and other types of sex work need careful ... Universalizations and generalizations from white European or North American histories, perspectives, ...
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This anthology of essays by scholars, activists, and organization leaders uses studies concerning both male and female sex workers of primarily Third World and developing countries to explore the social and economic issues of the... more
This anthology of essays by scholars, activists, and organization leaders uses studies concerning both male and female sex workers of primarily Third World and developing countries to explore the social and economic issues of the industry. The writers first define both the forced and voluntary trafficking of sex in terms of a labor pool that is often migratory and at times even unionized. Issues of race and morality also play a role in the status and legitimacy of sex workers. These writings also highlight the major organizational movements and conferences of sex workers since the 1970s, as well as discussing the effects of AIDS and other health issues. Much of the literature on prostitution centers on Western cultures or single localities in the developing world.
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This article presents insights from a research project on sex work that took place in the Caribbean region during 1997–8. First it briefly summarizes common themes in historical and contemporary studies of sex work in the region, then... more
This article presents insights from a research project on sex work that took place in the Caribbean region during 1997–8. First it briefly summarizes common themes in historical and contemporary studies of sex work in the region, then describes the aims, methodology, and main trends of the project. It pays particular attention to the differences between definitions and experiences of sex work by female and male sex workers and of male and female sex tourists, as well as describing conditions in the Caribbean sex trade. Finally the article identifies some implications of the complexity in the region that were uncovered through the research project for feminist theorizing about sex work.
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In the early 1990s, the debate on human trafficking was restricted to a handful of feminists and revolved around establishing “the trafficking of women” as a case of labor migration or one of “female sexual slavery.” Two decades later,... more
In the early 1990s, the debate on human trafficking was restricted to a handful of feminists and revolved around establishing “the trafficking of women” as a case of labor migration or one of “female sexual slavery.” Two decades later, the debate is more complicated and widespread, yet within the proliferation of attention, a convergence among some of the most vocal and visible campaigns is discernible. This article takes up three prominent campaigns that dominate contemporary debates internationally—modern anti-slavery, abolitionist feminism, and celebrity humanitarianism—and considers the politics that emerge at the points of their convergence. It is argued that rather than getting to “the bottom of things,” as Emma Goldman urged over a century ago in relation to the “traffic of women,” a 21st-century version of the “white man’s burden” is apparent, supported by contemporary western, neoliberal interests that maintain boundaries between the havesand the have-nots, while bolstering...
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In the early 1990s, the debate on human trafficking was restricted to a handful of feminists and revolved around establishing “the trafficking of women” as a case of labor migration or one of “female sexual slavery.” Two decades later,... more
In the early 1990s, the debate on human trafficking was restricted to a handful of feminists and revolved around establishing “the trafficking of women” as a case of labor migration or one of “female sexual slavery.” Two decades later, the debate is more complicated and widespread, yet within the proliferation of attention, a convergence among some of the most vocal and visible campaigns is discernible. This article takes up three prominent campaigns that dominate contemporary debates internationally—modern anti-slavery, abolitionist feminism, and celebrity humanitarianism—and considers the politics that emerge at the points of their convergence. It is argued that rather than getting to “the bottom of things,” as Emma Goldman urged over a century ago in relation to the “traffic of women,” a 21st-century version of the “white man’s burden” is apparent, supported by contemporary western, neoliberal interests that maintain boundaries between the havesand the have-nots, while bolstering...
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Challenging Trafficking in Canada presents information about human trafficking interventions as they impact sex workers, Indigenous women, migrants, youth, and other marginalized groups. Drawing from established research and... more
Challenging Trafficking in Canada presents information about human trafficking interventions as they impact sex workers, Indigenous women, migrants, youth, and other marginalized groups.
Drawing from established research and consultations with organizations around the country, the policy brief analyses how anti-trafficking policies, laws and practices often cause violence and harm to those they are intended to help, especially Indigenous, racialized and migrant sex workers. It offers an alternative to misinformation, exaggerations and unfounded claims that often circulate through the media and public discussion. The brief presents recommendations to guide policymaking and action that will support human rights and justice for all.
Drawing from established research and consultations with organizations around the country, the policy brief analyses how anti-trafficking policies, laws and practices often cause violence and harm to those they are intended to help, especially Indigenous, racialized and migrant sex workers. It offers an alternative to misinformation, exaggerations and unfounded claims that often circulate through the media and public discussion. The brief presents recommendations to guide policymaking and action that will support human rights and justice for all.
Historically, academic literature on sex work has documented the changing debates, policies, and cultural discourse surrounding the sex industry, and their impact on the rights of sex workers worldwide. As sex work scholars look to the... more
Historically, academic literature on sex work has documented the changing debates, policies, and cultural discourse surrounding the sex industry, and their impact on the rights of sex workers worldwide. As sex work scholars look to the future of sex workers' rights, however, we are also in a critical moment of self-reflection on how sex work scholarship engages with sex worker communities, produces knowledge surrounding sex work, and represents the lived experiences of sex workers' rights, organizing, and activism. In this short Communication, proceedings from a recent sex work research symposium entitled, Sexual Economies, Politics, and Positionality in Sex Work Research are presented. Held at the Centre for Refugee Studies at York University, this symposium is a response to the need for sex work researchers, sex workers, and sex worker-led organizations to come together and critically examine the future of research on sex work and the politics of documenting sex workers' rights.
Challenging Trafficking in Canada presents information about human trafficking interventions as they impact sex workers, Indigenous women, migrants, youth, and other marginalized groups. Drawing from established research and... more
Challenging Trafficking in Canada presents information about human trafficking interventions as they impact sex workers, Indigenous women, migrants, youth, and other marginalized groups.
Drawing from established research and consultations with organizations around the country, the policy brief analyses how anti-trafficking policies, laws and practices often cause violence and harm to those they are intended to help, especially Indigenous, racialized, and migrant sex workers. It offers an alternative to misinformation, exaggerations, and unfounded claims that often circulate through the media and public discussion. The brief presents recommendations to guide policy making and action that will support human rights and justice for all.
Drawing from established research and consultations with organizations around the country, the policy brief analyses how anti-trafficking policies, laws and practices often cause violence and harm to those they are intended to help, especially Indigenous, racialized, and migrant sex workers. It offers an alternative to misinformation, exaggerations, and unfounded claims that often circulate through the media and public discussion. The brief presents recommendations to guide policy making and action that will support human rights and justice for all.
Research Interests:
In the early 1990s, the debate on human trafficking was restricted to a handful of feminists and revolved around establishing “the trafficking of women” as a case of labor migration or one of “female sexual slavery.” Two decades later,... more
In the early 1990s, the debate on human trafficking was restricted to a handful of feminists and revolved around establishing “the trafficking of women” as a case of labor migration or one of “female sexual slavery.” Two decades later, the debate is more complicated and widespread, yet within the proliferation of attention, a convergence among some of the most vocal and visible campaigns is discernible. This article takes up three prominent campaigns that dominate contemporary debates internationally—modern anti-slavery, abolitionist feminism, and celebrity humanitarianism—and considers the politics that emerge at the points of their convergence. It is argued that rather than getting to “the bottom of things,” as Emma Goldman urged over a century ago in relation to the “traffic of women,” a 21st-century version of the “white man’s burden” is apparent, supported by contemporary western, neoliberal interests that maintain boundaries between the havesand the have-nots, while bolstering an image of a compassionate, benevolent West. The article points towards an alternate framework, one that is lodged in a commitment to social and economic justice, decolonization, a redistribution of wealth, and respect for subaltern experience and knowledge.
Research Interests:
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Prostitution has been a persistent theme in the study of society since the nineteenth century, although it is only in second half of the twentieth century that it fully entered social studies as a subject worthy of full academic... more
Prostitution has been a persistent theme in the study of society since the nineteenth century, although it is only in second half of the twentieth century that it fully entered social studies as a subject worthy of full academic consideration. In this chapter I identify four main approaches in social studies and research that have been prominent, according to assumptions and explanations about sexual and gender relations. I define the most recent approach as “Sex Work Studies.”
It is important to keep in mind that while each trend is presented as distinct, there are many overlaps, borrowings, and blendings that have occurred between them and with other ideas that are not described here. The approaches therefore should not be treated as discrete or autonomous, but rather can be read as trends in which a specific account of gender and sex dominate political, theoretical, and social work on prostitution at different periods in history.
It is important to keep in mind that while each trend is presented as distinct, there are many overlaps, borrowings, and blendings that have occurred between them and with other ideas that are not described here. The approaches therefore should not be treated as discrete or autonomous, but rather can be read as trends in which a specific account of gender and sex dominate political, theoretical, and social work on prostitution at different periods in history.
Research Interests:
This article presents insights from a research project on sex work that took place in the Caribbean region during 1997-8. First it briefly summarizes common themes in historical and contemporary studies of sex work in the region, then... more
This article presents insights from a research project on sex work that took place in the Caribbean region during 1997-8. First it briefly summarizes common themes in historical and contemporary studies of sex work in the region, then describes the aims, methodology and main trends of the project. It pays particular attention to the differences between definitions and experiences of sex work by female and male sex workers and of male and female sex tourists, as well as describing conditions in the Caribbean sex trade. Finally the article identifies some implications of the complexity in the region that were uncovered through the research project for feminist theorizing about sex work.
In this text I present central perspectives and approaches in the international debate about the trafficking of persons, and highlight some of the main points of critique about the contemporary hegemonic framework that are articulated... more
In this text I present central perspectives and approaches in the international debate about the trafficking of persons, and highlight some of the main points of critique about the contemporary hegemonic framework that are articulated through action-research projects and grassroots anti-trafficking interventions. I argue that despite substantial shifts in global understandings about trafficking, which are heavily influenced by two distinctly different feminist discourses (radical feminism and transnational feminism), today much of what is pursued in the name of a war on trafficking has troubling consequences for poor communities around the world, and has gendered and racialized implications. US anti-trafficking policies are drawn upon here to illustrate some of these tendencies.
Abstract: Encouraged by the US, the Caribbean is being drawn into a global panic over human trafficking, leading to greater policing and surveillance of migrant women and the sex trade. Drawing on colonial precedents, the moral outrage... more
Abstract: Encouraged by the US, the Caribbean is being drawn into a global panic over human trafficking, leading to greater policing and surveillance of migrant women and the sex trade. Drawing on colonial precedents, the moral outrage about women trafficked into prostitu-tion, ...