Gender, precarious work and identity in beauty and body services

• Grant number: 12/14567-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Sociology - Other specific Sociologies
• Principal Investigator: Marcia de Paula Leite
• Grantee: Marcia de Paula Leite
• Visiting researcher: Luz Gabriela Arango Gaviria
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UN), Colombia
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Educação (FE). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The visit of Professor Luz Gabriela Arango will help to expand and deepen some of the goals of the research project A crise do trabalho e as experiências de geração de emprego e renda: as distintas faces do trabalho associado e a questão de gênero. Using a theoretical frame based on the research developments of the project A crise do trabalho e as experiências de geração de emprego e renda: as distintas faces do trabalho associado e a questão de gênero, led by Marcia de Paula Leite and the project Gender, work and identity in the body and beauty services, led by Luz Gabriela Arango in Colombia, we intend to extend the conceptual discussion on the relationship between: on the one hand, job insecurity, informality and labor flexibilization linked to the new model of flexible accumulation in Latin America (in the cases of Brazil and Colombia) and on the other hand, gender relations and intersections of class, race / ethnicity and sexuality. The contribution of Professor Arango will emphasize the analysis of precarious work in the area of body and beauty services. In this sector some forms of traditional self-employment blend with business logic that transfers economic risks to workers in a context of local-global affiliations with transnational beauty industry. To achieve this, Professor Arango will produce a bibliographic review on the matter of gender and work in body and beauty services over the past 10 years in Brazil and contrast it with the international literature about the beauty industry. The case of the beauty and body service sector in Brazil will be compared to the research produced in Colombia in this sector. To this end, in addition to the literature review mentioned above, Professor Arango will study beauty salons and barbershops in Brazil by two means: a) the revision of employment statistics and documents on the regulatory and economic configuration of this sector, b) a qualitative study of three hairdressing establishments. A qualitative approach will be conducted in Campinas to learn about aspects such as labor and employment patterns, the various exchanges involved in the sector, the skills required, labor and social trajectories of people who work there; social inequalities related to gender, race and sexual orientation; professional identities, conceptions of beauty and femininity and the different meanings associated with this work. Three hairdressing establishments located in different social and economic sectors of Campinas will be observed; and some workers and employers will be interviewed. Finally, this Project Esta última actividad tiene como objetivo preparar los términos generales para un proyecto de investigación comparativo sobre Género y trabajo precario en Colombia y Brasil. Finally, this pro aims to prepare the general terms for a comparative research project on gender and precarious work in Colombia and Brazil. Partiendo de las semejanzas, diferencias y particularidades encontradas en el sector de peluquerías y salones de belleza y teniendo en cuenta las condiciones del mercado laboral, la institucionalidad del trabajo y las condiciones sociales y políticas de los dos países, se definirán algunos parámetros básicos para una investigación cualitativa comparativa. Based on the similarities, differences and particularities encountered in the field of hairdressing and beauty salons and taking into account labor market conditions, labor institutions, social and political conditions of the two countries, some basic parameters for a comparative qualitative research will be defined. (AU)