New Books in History Emily Callaci, "Wages for Housework: The Feminist Fight Against Unpaid Labor" (Seal Press, 2025)
Nov 20, 2025
Emily Callaci, a historian and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, dives into the groundbreaking feminist movement advocating for compensation for unpaid domestic labor. She explores the origins of the 'Wages for Housework' campaign, highlighting its global impact from the 1970s onward. Callaci introduces pivotal figures like Selma James and Silvia Federici, discussing how their diverse backgrounds enriched the movement. She provocatively questions the implications of prioritizing care over production and envisions a transformed society where women could reclaim their time.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
A Global Movement, Not A Gimmick
- Archival correspondence showed Wages for Housework was a global, not just local, movement.
- That breadth reframed the demand as an ambitious political project, not mere theater.
Diverse Backgrounds, Shared Critique
- The five featured women came from very different class and national backgrounds but converged on one core critique.
- They argued capitalism depends on coerced, unpaid domestic labor hidden from economic accounts.
A Single Demand Emerged Strategically
- The Wages for Housework demand crystallized from many earlier proposals like UBI and a 20-hour week.
- Selma James's pamphlet turned a plural set of demands into a single provocative slogan that mobilized people.
