Top image is a fragment of Ai Weiwei's "Odyssey"
Welcome!
I'm a Ph.D. candidate, researcher, and teacher at the University of Oregon.
After studying Political Science at the University of Buenos Aires I worked for Argentina's federal government for three years doing public policy evaluation.
My approach to sociological research is deeply informed by feminist scholars’ call for engaged sociology, aiming to produce knowledge that can inform public policy, building from and with the people and communities.
Research Areas:
-Labor and Labor movements with a focus on low-wage, precarious work and well-being and health impacts
-Migration, particularly Latinxs in the U.S.
-Emotions, inequality, gender, and social reproductive work
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Current research
I’m currently working on my dissertation which focuses on the living and working conditions of migrant Latinas employed in food processing in the Pacific Northwest and their experiences as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. I trace their migratory and employment trajectories to understand their movement in connection to changes in the food industry. By looking at their working conditions and social reproductive responsibilities I argue that we must incorporate an analysis of the social reproduction sphere to supply chain analysis, as the local labor regime cannot be understood without incorporating this sphere. While the unencumbered male worker is classically positioned as the ideal worker I argue that in certain degraded, low-wage, and dangerous industries like food processing, migrant women become the ideal worker. Finally, I show how the combination of altruistic fear, temporary recognition and public legitimation, and an open crisis of social reproduction drove workers in three different plants to organize collectively against the state and capital sanctioned disposability and fight for better working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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My twin interests in labor and migration have led me to expand my research to Latin America, recently publishing a piece on the working conditions of Chinese migrant workers in Peru during the Guano Boom. Here I explore the historical roots of the legal and racialized disposability of workers in a critical moment of capitalist development.
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Additionally, I have done extensive research on precarious workers in Oregon in multiple sectors, particularly in relation to unpredictable scheduling, publishing several reports and peer-reviewed articles. I'm currently continuing this research looking into the working conditions of home-based childcare providers, paying special attention to the expansive impacts of precarious employment on workers' well-being.
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I have also written on feminist struggles in Latin America and have been involved in the International Women's March locally.
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GET IN TOUCH
Contact Lola Loustaunau to discuss their published work, teaching, collaboration opportunities or for any other inquiries.
718 Prince Lucien Campbell
Eugene, OR 97403–1291