American peonage: connections, categories, scales, 1935-1952

Conference paper

Pizzolato, N. 2015. American peonage: connections, categories, scales, 1935-1952. Translocal and Microhistories of Labour. Centre for Global History and Culture -- University of Warwick 23 - 24 Jan 2015
TypeConference paper
TitleAmerican peonage: connections, categories, scales, 1935-1952
AuthorsPizzolato, N.
Abstract

This paper adopts a trans-local and microhistorical approach to the problem of unfree labour in the in the first half of the twentieth century, exploring several levels of analysis: local, national, international.
This paper also takes the cue from Italian microhistory's (in particular drawing on Carlo Ginzburg, Franco Ramella and Osvaldo Raggio) methodological practice to challenge sweeping historical narratives by leveraging on the study of episodes occurring on a small scale. The paper uses the peonage cases from Georgia rural communities that acquired notoriety in the 1930s to question the linear narrative of progress from slavery to emancipation in American history as well as the assumption that formal democratic institutions and capitalism are not compatible with unfree labor.

Research GroupWork and Learning Research Centre
ConferenceTranslocal and Microhistories of Labour
Publication process dates
Deposited29 May 2015
CompletedJan 2015
Output statusPublished
LanguageEnglish
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