Maid’s Room: The Blurred Identity of Live-in Maids

Abstract

This chapter is born out of concern about the perception of the physical and symbolic place of the live-in housekeeper, both in socioeconomic, and historical terms, as well as the architectural and social dynamics of the home. An intersectional and teleological analysis of the intrinsic devaluation of paid social reproduction work is carried out, based mainly on gender, race, and class inequalities. Ultimately, the chapter tries to locate the position in which the maid finds herself in the domestic environment, both in family relationships and in the symbolism inherent to the concept of the maid’s room. Based on sociological, philosophical, and anthropological analysis, the ambiguous place of domestic workers becomes clearer, promoting a reflection on the very concept of family and household. Thus, the chapter proposes to achieve a hermeneutic dive into the experience of this working class, revealing a hierarchical system beyond the socioeconomic, but above all, of their subjectivities.

Citation

Lima, A.A.C.d.M. (2024), "Maid’s Room: The Blurred Identity of Live-in Maids", Costa, R.P. and Blair, S.L. (Ed.) More than Just a ‘Home’: Understanding the Living Spaces of Families (Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, Vol. 25), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 67-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1530-353520240000025004