Sassen Assignment12
In Sassen essay, “Strategic Instantiations of Gendering,” Saskia Sassen (2003:1) she argues “today’s dominant account about economic globalization in media and policy, as well as in much economic analysis, emphasizes hypermobility, global communications, and the neutralization of place and distance.” Sassen states that place does not matter and only people with education matter. the new transitional worker is over looked and only the privilege is accounted for and stated that the global migration of maids, nannies,nurses,sex workers and contract brides(1). Sassen talks about the immigrant cultures where women take on jobs to make ends meet and take care of their family in other country. Sassan argue that the contribution and marginalization of immigrant women are factors that contribute to the growth of the global economy but goes unnoticed in today’s society. Low wage workers are overlooked and are not credited but is the driving force behind the country’s capital. She spoke about how these women would be trafficked across country lines for jobs and the trouble they faced.
Sassen argues that global cities in the U.S. and across the world contributed to the process of creating these industries and not recognizing the growth in global capital. She spoke about the sex workers and how much money the government made off these workers. She states that 4 million people were trafficked in 1998 which made a profit of 7 billion dollars. Which is so sad to think that these poor women who have been exploited generated so much money for the government. She argues that the work force is made up mostly of women and most of the country’s revenue is made up of the money that these women work by any means then send home to their families in other country. It’s funny how this article states that women make up the majority of resident workers and they are mostly women of color. Which the last piece we read by Paul England stated that women earned less and work less because of motherhood. Sassen shed light on how women are important to the working class. She said that immigrant women are important actors in the new informal economics of cities of the global north. Women take more important roles in society like active and social roles. Women have been exploited throughout time and it can be seen that they have been playing and doing their part but have not been recognized.
