Issei, Nisei, War Bride: Three Generations of Japanese American Women in Domestic Service [Paperback]

Evelyn Glenn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 1988

In this unique study of Japanese American women employed as domestic workers, Evelyn Nakano Glenn reveals through historical research and in-depth interviews how the careers of these strong, but oppressed women affected the history of Asian immigration in the San Francisco-Bay Area. Three generations of women speak, in their own words, about coping with degraded employment and how this work related to family and community life. The disproportionate concentration of Japanese American women in domestic service from the early part of this century to the present resulted from their status as immigrants and women of colour in a race and gender stratified local labour market. The three generations covered by this study pre-1924 immigrants (issei), first American born generation (nisei), and post-World War II immigrants (war brides) were subjected to multiple forms of oppression but were not appendages of men nor passive victims. Dr. Glenn shows how their struggles to achieve autonomy, dignity, and a suitable livelihood were essential to the survival of the family and the community. Although unique in many ways, the situation of the Japanese American woman has important parallels with that of other women of colour in the United States. Ironically her role as a domestic cast her in a menial, degraded job but often elevated her to the position of valued confidant to her employer. "Issei, Nisei, War Bride" is the first study to offer a sociological/historical perspective on these women. It addresses issues about the nature of labour systems in capitalist economies, the role of immigrant and racial ethnic women in those systems, and the consequences of participation in race and gender stratified systems for minority families and communities. Evelyn Nakano Glenn is Associate Professor of Sociology at State University of New York at Binghamton.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A richly detailed and sophisticated examination of...how historical and economic forces restricted women's lives and how women devised strategies for dealing with their plight." --Canadian Woman Studies "A beautifully written, well-organized, and sociologically rich study of three generations of Japanese-American women who worked as domestics. Glenn's study fits well into a women's studies collection, particularly with those materials focusing on immigrants or the working class." --Choice "... A much welcome contribution to the literature on women and work and on Japanese American women, in particular. Glenn has artfully combined a rich case study approach with detailed sociodemographics in an historical framework... Glenn writes well and skillfully incorporates detailed historical and demographic facts with a descriptive style. The presentation of labor statistics is excellent... This book is an important contribution, not only to Asian American Studies but to women's studies and the literature on labor and immigrant groups." --Amerasia Journal "A revealing view into the role of Japanese women immigrants in the United States not only as domestic workers but also in their family lives. This study is enlivened by the life stories and quotations from the women themselves..." --Edwin O. Reischauer "This work is a valuable contribution to the literature on immigration and an important addition to the literature on occupations. It contains a fascinating and highly readable account of the array of perspectives on work and family that Glenn was uniquely positioned to collect from Japanese women and provides an extremely useful study for those who teach women and work, gender roles, and sociology of occupations courses." --Arlene Kaplan Daniels

From the Publisher

A unique study of Japanese American women employed as domestic workers

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (April 13, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877225648
• ISBN-13: 978-0877225645
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,522,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The book description is misleading..., June 5, 2006

By 

NyiNya "NyiNya" (It was broken when I got here...) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Issei, Nisei, War Bride: Three Generations of Japanese American Women in Domestic Service (Paperback)

This is a socialogical study not a biographical look at the lives of Japanese women in domestic service. The subjects' quotes were scattered so there was little continuity, and I was not able to get a consistent picture of any of their lives. If you want a more "slice of life" look at what day to day existence was like for women who came from a completely different culture and had to adapt to the most intimate needs of their American employers, this is going to disappoint. I was expecting something more along the lines of Oscar Lewis' "La Vida." The mistake was mine, but it was based on a book description that lead me to believe it was an actual insight into the lives, emotions and experiences of a variety of women. What we get instead is a compendium of statistics dealing with wages, employment, cost of living, immigration and national origin of immigrants. This is, no doubt, of considerable value to anyone making a study of Japanese women in domestic service. However, it is described as an intimate look, a slice of life. It's not.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great !, February 1, 2012

By 

S. L. AUSTIN "-- college diva" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Issei, Nisei, War Bride: Three Generations of Japanese American Women in Domestic Service (Paperback)

The book was in great condition and truly was a great purchase. It was shipped and received in a great amount of time. I was very satisfied and will be using amazon again.