Synopses & Reviews
"This history is . . . the first fully-fleshed story of African Nairobi in all of its complexity which foregrounds African experiences. Given the overwhelming white dominance in the written sources, it is a remarkable achievement."and#8212;Claire Robertson,
International Journal of African Historical Studies "White's book . . . takes a unique approach to a largely unexplored aspect of African History. It enhances our understanding of African social history, political economy, and gender studies. It is a book that deserves to be widely read."and#8212;Elizabeth Schmidt, American Historical Review
Synopsis
This book is about the history of prostitution in a city in British colonial Africa. Nairobi, women saw prostitution as a reliable means of capital accumulation, not as a despicable fate or a temporary strategy. Indeed, whether a woman invested in urban real estate for herself or bought goats for her father did not seem to have been a personal or a cultural decision. The work of prostitutes was family labor.
About the Author
Luise White is professor of history at the University of Florida. She is the author of several books.
Table of Contents
List of Maps
Acknowledgments
A Note on Currencies
1. Introduction: Prostitution in Comparative Perspective; or, Casual Sex and Casual Labor
2. Livestock, Labor, and Reproduction: Prostitution in Nairobi and the East African Protectorate, ca. 1900-1918
3. Prostitution and Housing in Nairobi, 1919-29
4. Malaya Prostitution, 1930-39
5. Prostitution, Production, and Accumulation: The Origins and Development of the Wazi-Wazi Form in Pumwani, 1936-45
6. Constructing Classes: Gender, Housing, and the State in Kenya
7. Prostitution in Nairobi during World War II, 1939-45
8. Prostitution, Crime, and Politics in Nairobi, 1946-63
9. Women, Wage Labor, and the Limits of Colonial Control
Notes
References
Index