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The Comforts of Home

Prostitution in Colonial Nairobi

"This history is . . . the first fully-fleshed story of African Nairobi in all of its complexity which foregrounds African experiences. Given the overwhelming white dominance in the written sources, it is a remarkable achievement."—Claire Robertson, International Journal of African Historical Studies

"White’s book . . . takes a unique approach to a largely unexplored aspect of African History. It enhances our understanding of African social history, political economy, and gender studies. It is a book that deserves to be widely read."—Elizabeth Schmidt, American Historical Review

300 pages | 5 maps | 6.00 x 9.00 | © 1990

African Studies

History: African History

Women's Studies

Table of Contents

List of Maps
Acknowledgments
A Note on Currencies
1. Introduction: Prostitution in Comparative Perspective; or, Casual Sex and Casual Labor
2. Livestock, Labor, and Reproduction: Prostitution in Nairobi and the East African Protectorate, ca. 1900-1918
3. Prostitution and Housing in Nairobi, 1919-29
4. Malaya Prostitution, 1930-39
5. Prostitution, Production, and Accumulation: The Origins and Development of the Wazi-Wazi Form in Pumwani, 1936-45
6. Constructing Classes: Gender, Housing, and the State in Kenya
7. Prostitution in Nairobi during World War II, 1939-45
8. Prostitution, Crime, and Politics in Nairobi, 1946-63
9. Women, Wage Labor, and the Limits of Colonial Control
Notes
References
Index

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