香港中年女工生命史與雇傭策略初探: 一些問題與啓示

本文是香港女工生命史研究計劃中關於第二年齡群的初步總結。文章首先闡明了研究策略、方法，也指出了生命歷程／年齡群質化研究與過往以家庭週期為指涉的研究在理論上與研究操作上的不同。在回顧了第一年齡群（45~54歲）的研究所得後，本文引用了㵖嫻討論婚姻與家庭的言說，示範了女工建構自已生命史的例子。隨後，分析了七位女工的社會條件與階級位置，並對其就業路向進行結構的及歷史的理解。在檢討了她們圖存求活僱傭策略的特性後；本文結論指出女工作為策略行動者其生命歷程的多元軌跡性，也指出了其間重要的轉折點；以作為理解香港「經濟奇蹟」背後，衆多女工的犧牲和貢獻。

This paper is a partial product of a three year research project on Hong Kong female workers' life history and employment strategies. It presents preliminary findings of the second cohort (aged 35 to 44) we we studied. In assessing reaearch strategies and methodologies we adopt, special emphases are placed on the qualitative-analytic nature of the project. Clarifications are also made to distinguish a perspective of life-course/cohort-specific enquiry vis-a-vis that of a more conventional family life cycle approach. Upon reviewing findings of the first cohort (aged 45 to 54) of the project-a narrative by Kit-han on her marriage and family is included to demonstrate, the ways female worker construct their life-history. Further analyses are conducted to deconstruct seven female workers' class belongings as well as social postitionings. Aspects of various career routing are then contextualized in a structural and historical understanding of the ”Hong Kong system”. The paper suggests that the very employment strategies adopted by the workers were meant to be ”survival and livelihood” oriented. As strategic actors, the trajectories of their life course are multi-dimentional and multi-directional. The contour of their life structuration displayed many crucial truning nodes. These nodes, once properly understood, would enable us to appreciate the contributions and sacrifices female workers made, in the past 30 years, to the achievement of an ”economic miracle”.