lecture 3; lorraine

Question 1

why focus on lived realities?

Answer 1

Challenge binaries (like either migrant sex worker or trafficked victim, forced vs voluntary)
Look at local relationships of power to approach the messiness of daily life, ppls own experiences and perceptions
Useful in asking questions on for instance, how- diff governance regimes, strcuture vs agency, morality discourses

Question 2

fieldwork in kenya on individual economies- money logics

Answer 2

why? Myth that sex workers are only working for money, would want to do something else given the choice.
discourses that goven decision-making w regard to money; tied to one’s muliple and context bound positions in society (age, class, gender, etc)

Question 3

fieldwork in kenya on individual economies: where they live, business investments

Answer 3

most live in ghetto areas, hustling opps thru social ties
most work at night in diff areas, some have long standing reg clinets
business investments: at least 3 euros/night (jaba [natural hallucinogen], cosmetics, alcohol, transport, police bribes)

Question 4

fieldwork in kenya on individual economies: how much they earn, sources of income, avg spending/day

Answer 4

earn between 5-10 euro/night, 5 nights a week work
other sources of income: kutoanisha (you just ask people for money), do or die (stealing; at the end of the month- you either steal or become homeless)
Spends between 5/10 euro/day on daily survival (incl. investments). Hardly any leftover money/savings

Question 5

fieldwork in kenya on individual economies: male sex workers

Answer 5

• many dont have houses, many are “wageni” (gay) many fairly educated. Capital comes from social ties and opps linked to hotspots and organizations
• Most work at night in downtown Nairobi, few places of belonging, need lots of time to hustle
• Earn 5-7 euro/night IF they get clients
• at least 3 euro/night for investments (less bribes tho)
• competition is very high, high turnover of client networks
• other sources: kutoanisha, research (HIV etc), mobilization for medical programs (HIV etc), peer education/outreach, blackmail, stealing, seminars, inter/national boyfriends (husbands)
• Spends around 5 euro/daya if they have money.

Question 6

fieldwork in kenya on individual economies: thoughts from the sex workers about how they think abt their money

Answer 6

• money from sex work/stealing sometimes considered “cursed”, must be spent quickly
• emergencies
• gender positions and expectations
• taste the good life, say sorry to your body (use some money to take care of myself- drink, enjoy time with friends, etc)

Question 7

fieldwork in kenya on individual economies: emerging themes

Answer 7

• stigma
• gender relationships
• health
• questions of power (NGOs, other ppl, other SWs)
• informal economy
• networks