Soho at work : pleasure and place in contemporary London / Melissa Tyler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tyler, Melissa, 1971- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sex workers--England--London--Social conditions--21st century.

Sex workers.

Sex industry--England--London.

Sex industry.

Gentrification--England--London.

Gentrification.

Place attachment--England--London.

Place attachment.

Ethnology--England--London.

Ethnology.

Social conditions.

Soho (London, England)--Social conditions--21st century.

Soho (London, England).

Soho (London, England)--Economic conditions--21st century.

Economic history.

England--London.

England--London--Soho.

Physical Description:

xvi, 234 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2020.

Summary:

"As a place that 'plays to all the senses' Soho has, throughout its history, been something of an abject space, maintaining a long-standing appeal as simultaneously alluring and threatening, exploiting many of those who work and consume there, at the same time as carefully nurturing its reputation as a place of bohemian indulgence, offering a warm embrace and a sense of belonging in the heart of an otherwise relatively anonymous urban environment. In his Foreword to Bernie Katz's book Soho Society, Stephen Fry emphasizes this, highlighting how the area has always offered 'outsiders' a chance to be themselves: 'Soho's public face of drugs, prostitution and seedy Bohemia ... has always hidden a private soul of family, neighborhood, kindness, warmth and connection, and those qualities shine through doggedly'. Yet Soho also has a long-standing reputation for violence and exploitation. Even Fry, one of its most vociferous defenders, is quick to warn us against being sentimental about Soho, for 'suffering, failure, sickness, despair and loneliness' are also found there in abundance as some of London's most vulnerable people either gravitate to the area or are drawn there by other means, often combining desperation with market forces"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: Pleasure and place in Soho

Soho : London's gilded gutter

Putting work in its place : space, place and setting

Shopping for sex : situating work in Soho's sex shops

It's a dirty job : performing abject labour in Soho

No place for a lady? Un/doing gender and sexuality in Soho

Conclusion: Rhythm is our business.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Tyler, Melissa, 1971-. Soho at work.

ISBN:

9781107182738

1107182735

9781316635599

1316635597

OCLC:

1119741206