The Ground-Staff of Globalization Processes

Maria S. Rerrich

The article discusses the increasing globalization of domestic labor and presents some findings of work in progress of a study on migrant domestic workers currently working in German households. Until very recently, domestic work for pay has not attracted much scientific or political attention. However in the last few years there has been an obviously increasing demand for paid household labor in Germany, much of which is currently being met by migrant domestic workers who are often residing in the country illegally. The article focuses on the situation of domestic workers originally from Eastern Europe and Latin America now working in Hamburg and Munich.