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Project summary
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Mei-Ling Ellerman commenced her PhD studies in March 2008. She received her MA in International Development with a concentration in Gender and Rights, from American University’s School of International Service. In 2005, Mei-Ling started a two year independent research project on Chinese migrant domestic workers’ workplace issues, with funding from the Fulbright and David Boren Fellowships. As a Visiting Scholar at the Chinese Academy of Social Science, Gender and Law Center, she founded the “Action Research Project on Domestic Workers.” For two years she carried out 100 individual interviews with the crucial support of Chinese volunteer interviewers, and taught domestic workers in employment agencies. In her second year, Mei-Ling also designed and carried out a project funded by UNESCO. The project aimed to improve the qualitative research capacity of a local NGO by conducting research on domestic workers. In March 2007 she held a UNESCO-funded conference in Beijing bringing together NGOs and other organizations working on migrant issues to discuss their work, and possible outreach and collaboration regarding domestic workers.
After two years of researching domestic work, many unresolved problems were revealed such as discrimination, abuse, sexual harassment, restricted freedom of movement and substandard provision for basic needs. After identifying these issues, it became clear that without the legal means to protect workers, the next step should be to explore feasible solutions. Mei-Ling’s doctoral research will evolve from this understanding, and will investigate factors that inhibit the development of Chinese female migrant domestic workers’ voice, critical awareness, engagement, and autonomy. She will draw upon multi-disciplinary theory to research women’s self-perceptions, decision-making and reasons for silence and inaction in the workplace. Analysis of interview data will feed into the participatory workshops, the goal of which is to start a process of growth, critical thinking, and a feeling of group power through dialogue that can engender behavioral changes in the workplace.
Mei-Ling’s interests include social change, gender and development in China, domestic violence, sexual harassment and trafficking issues, action research, critical pedagogy and feminist theory and practice.
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