Incorporating an empire: From deregulating labor to regulating leisure in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines, 1898-1909 escrito por Bjork, Katharine, Ph.D., The University of Chicago, 1998, 162 páginas; AAT 9910843

Resumen

The dissertation examines the nature of United States colonialism through a focus on regulation of labor relations and leisure activities in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines at the turn of the century. It argues that the shift away from regulation of labor in these areas of the U.S. empire was part of a larger nineteenth century reorientation of state regulatory emphasis away from direct intervention in labor relations to a more laissez-faire approach to the labor market in general.

The dissertation focuses on the history of the deregulation of a specific colonial labor practice, migration under contract, in areas incorporated into the U.S. Empire at the turn of the century; it treats the phenomenon of contract labor as an example of deregulating labor relations, and argues that, in the colonial context, contract labor was neither paradoxical nor anachronistic, as contemporary observers as well as later historians have suggested, but was in fact a short-cut to achieving the labor discipline required by employers in the industrialized sectors created or expanded as a result of closer ties to U.S. markets and to increases in American investment.

Accompanying the shift away from direct intervention in labor relations was a new or rejuvenated effort to create disciplined workers through the increased regulation of a variety of "leisure" activities as well as attitudes to time, money discipline, and self-mastery. The dissertation examines the relationship between modernization with its demands for labor discipline and productivity and the state's involvement in regulating activities not directly related to the workplace or labor relations per se. Specifically, it treats gambling, sports, restrictions on the use of public space, as well as attitudes to "free" time, and the cultural definition of leisure more generally.

The dissertation situates the emergence of the United States as a colonial power in its world-historical context. It argues against notions of American exceptionalism, demonstrating how the historiography of exceptionalism was itself a product of the United States' late nineteenth century confrontation with empire.

Índice (detalles del documento)

Director de tesis: Coatsworth, John H.

Universidad: The University of Chicago

Lugar de universidad: United States -- Illinois

Palabra(s) clav(es): Colonialism, Regulation, Labor, Leisure, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Philippines

Fuente: DAI-A 59/11, p. 4258, May 1999

Tipo de fuente: Dissertation

Materias: Recreation, American history, Latin American history, History, Social structure, Labor

relations

Número de la publicación: AAT 9910843

ISBN: 97805990922810

URL del documento: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=732992481&sid=4&Fmt=2&cli

entId=45091&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Código de documento de ProQuest: 732992481

Bases de datos seleccionadas: Dissertations & Theses