A Feast of Men: Sexuality, Kinship and Predation in the Practices of Female Prostitution in Downtown Porto Alegre

  • José Miguel Nieto Olivar
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Palgrave Studies in Globalization and Embodiment book series (PSGE)

Abstract

The present chapter is a reflection of the nature of prostitution relationships based on an ethnographic study. A dialogue between anthropological reflections of sexuality, kinship and the body form the background of my elaborations. For two years, I accompanied the daily life of four prostitutes who were active in the sex workers’ movement. I also maintained contact with many other prostitutes and related actors throughout Brazil. One of the results of the research presented here is that a strong biographic tension exists between kinship “apparatuses” (dispositifs); between sexuality and processes of individuation; and between alliance (and affinity) constructions and frequently expressed notions of war and predation, which a certain kind of prostitution employs in its social life; an assemblage that goes beyond reciprocity and commodification. When we take a diachronic view of this sort of prostitution, we also can see that intensive processes of fabrication and transformation of bodies and relationships become evident.

Keywords

Prostitution Kinship Body Sexuality Porto Alegre 
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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • José Miguel Nieto Olivar
    • 1
  1. 1.State University of CampinasCampinasBrazil

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