A divisão sexual do trabalho e a reforma urbana: (des)construindo relações

Abstract

Starting from an initial analysis of the Manuel Congo occupation, in downtown Rio de Janeiro - besides other related experiences – the aim is to observe the role of the woman as subject of the urban space transformation and its reflexes in the fight for the Urban Reform, as well as in the internal practices of determined social movements and in other parts of society correlated to the issue. To this end, it was sought observing how – and if – the sexual division of labor and the hierarchical power relationships materialize in the internal logic of these housing movements and its developments in the fight for Urban Reform. Some issues take central stage in this analysis, like the gender concept. This concept - widely reported nowadays – and also caught between an epistemological and ideological dispute, might complexify the gender inequality concept to something beyond the relationship of domination of men over women (Binary concept). Other issues include the setorization of public politics and the possible opposition of other sectors that believe in the weakening of the class struggle and also in the highlight of gender and race oppression, that is to say, the conflict between the universal concept of class struggle and the sector that refutes this issue. The scarce problematization made by the urban reform movement itself – in regards to labor relationships in the construction process of an agenda and also in practices that surpass the current social-economic model are center-piece to the unfolding of the recognition of sexual division in labor as an strategic part of the debate. In other words, associating the discussion of new territorial forms to gender inequality in contemporary capitalism can be an important tool. In sum, the main goal it to recognize “gender” as an analytical category, facilitating the articulation of the discussion that permeates the labor and gender relationships in the production and reproduction of cities, mapping a little of what has already been studied about the topic and the possible challenges of the debate, based in a specific case.