Mohanty, Ulysse, and Massey

"Violence is a gendered concept, an integral part of local definitions of masculinity in Jamaica" (Ulysse, chapter 6). This quote is central to the understanding and interpretation of the violence that Ulysee witnesses and experiences during her time as an ethnographer in Jamaica, especially as it pertains to her study of the ICIs. Shortly after making this initial statement, Ulysse also explains that "Whereas masculinity is realized through the gun, female tuffness is expressed through embodiment of protective shields." Given our previous discussion of the lady/woman dichotomy, and the implications of the female workers' lack of femininity, I found this quote to be particularly pertinent. The womens' defiance of traditional gender roles necessitates this tough exterior as they are subjected to the violence of men, and yet, it is interesting to consider how women are simultaneously shamed for their supposed lack of adherence to these gender roles.

Chapter 6 in Mohanty's text, in which she explores various labor forces made up of women and how the circumstances of their labor environment "indicate ways in which ideologies of domesticity, femininity, and race from the basis of the construction of the notion of 'women's work' for Third World women in the contemporary economy" (Mohanty ch. 6), ties in directly with Ulysse's work. Women's work, and the hardships associated with social concepts like the second shift and domestic work, is further complicated due to this politicization. Mohanty's studies of women in the labor force reflects the work of Ulysse in that the value of both the women and the work are brought into question by society. Mohanty also points out that in order for women's work to be respected, the whole idea that some work belongs to women while "serious" work belongs to men should be obliterated. While gendered work is already a problematic concept, the analysis of gendered work at the intersection of class and race compounds the issue.

Ulysse explains in chapter 5 the differences between the masculinization versus the feminization of poverty, and the way violence relates to these two concepts. According to Ulysse, the masculinization of poverty is explicitly linked to violence, especially in relation to drugs and gun usage. This has been an issue for the Jamaican men surrounding the drug market. However, the feminization of poverty is one which implies a lack of masculine presence, therefore leaving women more vulnerable to male violence when the issue of class is also added in. This is why, as Ulysse explains later on, the tough exterior must be adopted by the female ICI workers. It is interesting to consider gendered work and the lower value placed on this women's work, but Mohanty and Ulysse require analysis through the lens of race and class as well. Both make the conclusion that the hardships faced by women in roles such as ICI workers, the lacemakers, and the Silicon Valley workers can potentially foster a sense of solidarity.

On a different note, the Massey article brought to mind the film we viewed in class about tourism in Jamaica, especially the following quote: "We need to ask, in other words, whether our relative mobility and power over mobility and communication entrenches the spatial imprisonment of other groups" (Massey 4). I found this relevant to our discussion of remaining conscious of our impact as tourists, and the issue of keeping in mind how and why we accomplish our studies while abroad. Massey constructs a compelling argument using examples of time-space compression and the imagery of floating above Earth as an outside observer on a space craft to make her point. I thought this was an effective way of getting across the message of inequality she seems to be exemplifying through her article.