Abstract
This study contributes to the on-going scholarly engagements surrounding the understanding of the universalised and pervasive oppression that is inherent in the domestic work sector. It endeavours to decipher the configuration of the sustained oppression in this sector with a particular focus on Eswatini. Formerly referred to as Swaziland, Eswatini is a small country between Mozambique and South Africa. The study problematises the strong emphasis on the oppressive aspects of the domestic sphere by mainstream discourse thereby characterising domestic workers‟ experiences as not evolving, devoid of hope and resilience, also universalising their experiences across circumstances and geographies.
While the oppressive characterisation offers valuable understanding of the enduring irrationalities that people encounter in this domain, the limited engagement and - in most cases - the complete avoidance of constructive and empowering experiences within the domestic work domain is pessimistic. As a result, the influence of positive and empowering experiences on the wiring of the prevailing oppression paradigm remains obscure. These elusively highlighted configurations create a constrained representation and flawed comprehension of the nature and character of the sector‟s perpetual oppression, as well as how it is sustained and reproduced.
A mixed-methods approach is utilised to determine the underlying dynamics of Eswatini domestic work. The study's triangulated empirical findings, which were derived from 145 completed survey interviews and 30 qualitative interviews, suggest that domestic workers occupy fluctuating positions, diverging, and converging along the oppression/freedom continuum, depending on the work context.
The primary empirical contribution of this study is that the domestic work sector and the experiences of domestic workers are not solely characterised by „intersecting oppressions‟ but also by „intersecting freedoms‟ and the coexistence of oppression and freedom as configurations nurtured by the complex power structures and systems of domination that govern the employer-domestic worker relationship. The intricate ways in which freedom and oppression intersect, creates a constructively destructive work environment, thus maintaining the oppressive structure of the domestic work sector in Eswatini. Moreover, the nature of the associations provide insight into the artful workings of the sector to oppress, the extent of changes in attitudes to humanise the sector and the foresight that should guide targeted initiatives aimed at transforming the sector into a place where decent work is achieved. Furthermore, the study reveals that the configuration of the intricate overlap between freedom and oppression is distinctive to each individual's experience. It varies based on the working conditions and particular forms of freedom and degrees of oppression that domestic workers encounter on an individual level. This is the empirical contribution that the study provides.
Theoretically, it offers a contextual application to the Foucauldian, Freirean and intersectional perspectives rendering them relatable theories of action, thus, enhancing the practical value of theory. It enhances these perspectives‟ explanatory and
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descriptive value by critically engaging with the sector's intricate power dynamics and causal influences, thereby offering an empirical approach to how the dialectical, complex, and ambiguous nature of the interaction between oppressive and liberating power is constituted in Eswatini domestic work.
The study argues that deciphering the logic behind the oppression radar is a liberating undertaking that generates new directions and current developments on the domestic work sector. It also creates conceptual space for emerging conceptualisations, re-engagement and reframing of the mainstream discourse that also serves as an oppressive force. Ultimately, any one-dimensional analysis fails to account fully for domestic workers‟ realities.