Global History or Transnational Labor History: notes for the analysis of class relations in 19th century Brazil (1841-1889)

• In Event: Configuración de clase y identidads obreras y profesionales: perspectivas históricas

Abstract

In recent years, studies on Social History of Labor come growing in importance in Brazil, United States, Europe and India. This field has been excelling strongly by expanding the chronological, spatial and thematic milestones, focusing on the extension of national borders in the investigation of the world of labor and on reclassification of their relations. The Global History or Transnational Labor History has made new questions that challenge these relations and problematize with the movement of workers, redefining national boundaries regarding their exploitation. This article aims to propose a reflection on the implementation of these theoretical landmarks in the analysis of world of labor in Brazil in the 19th century, during the Brazilian Empire, and how this contributes and facilitates the advancement for the investigation of the brazilian working class formation,analysing the three major provinces: Amazônia, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. In these localities occurred the entanglement of a large amount of workers of different national and ethnic origins, among different categories, in which boaters, shippers, longshoremen or bagmen were subjected to various forms of coercion. In the light of the concept proposed by Marcel Van der Linden – subaltern workers – aims to advance beyond a dichotomized view of slaves and "free" workers, as well as, from the concept of transnationality of Hannagan, will be possible to verify the importance of relations of kinship and relationship networks and how the many migrants have adapted to the needs of the target regions.
Keywords: Global Labor History; Transnational Labor History; The 19th Century.

Author

• Edilson N Santos Junior, Universidade Federal Fluminense