Abstract

Abstract:

This article explores girls' experiences of working in domestic service in postcolonial Zambia. Analysis of oral testimonies and documentary sources reveals how girls used employment in domestic service to support themselves and their dependents in a context of economic hardship, making significant contributions to household and local economies in the process. The article argues against narrow representations of girl domestic workers as victims, illustrating how girls could exercise a certain amount of agency and autonomy even in the face of significant personal challenges. More broadly, the article shows how gender, age, sexuality, and kinship intersected in postcolonial African labor relations.

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