This approach distinguishes her from purely statistical urbanists, grounding her findings in the granular, daily struggles of ordinary people.
One of Abbatecola’s most significant contributions is her exploration of the global sex market. In her book, Trans-migrazioni: Lavoro, sfruttamento e violenza di genere nei mercati globali del sesso , she challenges the traditional binary that often dominates public discourse: the view of migrant sex workers as either purely victims of trafficking or purely autonomous agents. emanuela abbatecola
Her early work laid the groundwork for her future specializations. She focused on the broader themes of social change and the evolving nature of work. However, it was her pivot toward gender studies and the sociology of migration that established her as a pivotal figure in the field. Unlike scholars who view labor through a purely economic lens, Abbatecola has always viewed labor as a social relationship—one imbued with power dynamics, historical baggage, and gendered expectations. Her early work laid the groundwork for her
Unlike macro-economic analyses, Abbatecola focuses on the lived experience of displacement. Her ethnographic work documents how rising property values and touristification erode long-standing community networks, particularly in historic neighborhoods of cities like Naples, Rome, and Bologna. Unlike scholars who view labor through a purely
