164 International Sociology Reviews 39(2)

Reviving a tradition of a theoretically oriented and empirically grounded line of anal-

ysis of words and ideas initiated by Henri Berr and continued by scholars like Émile
Benveniste, Robert K. Merton, Elinor Barber, Quentin Skinner, Reinhart Koselleck, or
Pierre Bourdieu, Wacquant’s work is without doubt the more in-depth examination of the
‘underclass’ available to this day. As valuable as this inquiry may be, one might argue
that Wacquant universalizes a particular part of the history of the word and idea (its
North American uses from 1977 to 1997) as the ‘underclass’. Indeed, it is in a short
appendix separated from the first part of the book that Wacquant only briefly studies the
transatlantic travels of the world after 1997, quickly concluding that the concept has died
after this year. Still, graphics show that the uses of the word are increasing from 1990s
onward in various regions such as Europe, Australia, and Asia, and in fields such as the
journalistic and the social sciences ones. More empirical work about this part of the story
and its relation to the American one may therefore have increased our knowledge of this
object. As previous studies on different notions have shown (for instance ‘French the-
ory’), it is indeed the circulation between different nations that seem to fully explain the
national social success of symbolic goods. However, one can but recommend the reading
of this very well-conducted piece of reflexive work.

Author biography
Matthias Fringant is a PhD candidate at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris.
His Ph.D. thesis analyzes the idea of reflexivity through the ways in which the uses of the word
have evolved in the English and French contexts. He is interested in understanding the develop-
ment of social sciences and humanities in different contexts.

Heba Gowayed,
Refuge: How the State Shapes Human Potential, University of Toronto Press: Toronto, ON,
Canada, 2020; ISBN 9780691203843 (US/UK), $27.95/£22.00

Reviewed by: Shahd Alasaly, University of South Florida, USA

Keywords
Ethnography, refugee, human capital

Refuge: How the State Shapes Human Potential, written by Heba Gowayed, is an out-
standing ethnography that explores the lives of Syrian families who have fled their
homeland to seek refuge in Canada, the United States, and Germany. The book provides
an educational deep dive into what it means to be a refugee, and it is a concise, factual,
and informative read that fills in many background gaps about the refugee experience.
The book adds to academic knowledge about refugees by providing a nuanced and
detailed account of the challenges and opportunities faced by refugees in the process of
resettlement.
The book is particularly valuable for academics interested in the social, economic,
and political aspects of refugee resettlement. Gowayed’s research is based on extensive
Reviews: Social Stratification 165

interviews with Syrian refugees living in Canada, Germany, and the United States, and
she uses their narratives to explore broader themes related to refugee integration, such as
access to education, employment, and healthcare, as well as issues related to social isola-
tion and mental health.
Moreover, the book offers a critical analysis of different refugee policy and the chal-
lenges faced by refugees within this framework. By highlighting the voices of refugees
themselves, Gowayed offers a unique perspective on the complex realities of resettle-
ment, and challenges the dominant narratives that often portray refugees as helpless vic-
tims. Colleagues interested in refugee studies, migration, and Canadian policy would
find Refuge a valuable and insightful contribution to the academic literature. Gowayed’s
work provides a nuanced and detailed account of the experiences of Syrian refugees in
Canada and offers a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by refu-
gees in the process of resettlement. Furthermore, the author’s writing style, makes it easy
to understand the complex issues surrounding the refugee crisis. Because Refuge is an
ethnography, the author does not rely on jargon or academic language.
The book is divided into three parts, each focusing on one of the three destination
countries. Each part is structured in a similar way, with a brief historical overview of the
country’s immigration policies, followed by detailed case studies of individual families.
The case studies provide a glimpse into the lives of refugees, and how they have navi-
gated the complex web of laws, regulations, and social norms in their new home coun-
tries. the book is divided into three main parts, each of which contains several chapters.
These three parts are:
Journeys – This part focuses on the experiences of Syrian refugees before and during
their migration to Canada. It includes chapters on the war in Syria, the decision to leave,
and the journey to safety.
Settlement – This part explores the challenges and opportunities faced by refugees in
the process of resettlement. It includes chapters on language acquisition, education,
employment, and healthcare.
Belonging – This part examines the ways in which refugees navigate their new identi-
ties and communities in Canada. It includes chapters on social integration, mental health,
and the politics of belonging.
In addition to these three main parts, the book also includes an introduction, conclu-
sion, and methodological appendix. The introduction provides an overview of the book’s
aims and objectives, while the conclusion summarizes the key findings and implications
of the research.
The methodological appendix details the research methods used by the author in con-
ducting the study, including the sampling strategy, data collection methods, and ethical
considerations. In addition, the book includes endnotes that provide additional context
and references for the reader.
The strength of Refuge was the level of detail that the author provides about each fam-
ily’s experience.

I’m proud to be a refugee, but at the same time, it’s hard. You feel like you don’t belong. People
don’t understand what you’ve been through. And finding a job is the hardest thing. I have a
master’s degree, but I can’t even get an entry-level job here. (Gowayed, 2020: 97)
166 International Sociology Reviews 39(2)

When we arrived in Germany, we didn’t know anything. We didn’t know the language, we
didn’t know the culture, we didn’t know anyone. It was so hard to find a place to live, to find a
job, to understand how things work here. We had to start from scratch. (Gowayed, 2020: 77)

The book covers a wide range of issues, from the trauma of fleeing war-torn Syria to the
challenges of learning a new language and finding work in a new country. The author
does not shy away from difficult topics such as discrimination and prejudice, but she also
shows how many refugees have managed to overcome these challenges and thrive in
their new homes.
Heba Gowayed poignantly reminds the readers,

Many of the conflicts that have led to the displacement of refugees are rooted in colonialism
and its legacy. The borders of many countries were drawn by European powers with little
regard for the ethnic, religious, and linguistic differences of the people who lived there. This
has created tensions and conflicts that continue to this day. Furthermore, many of the destination
countries that refugees are seeking to reach are former colonial powers, which can complicate
the refugee experience and contribute to feelings of distrust and resentment. (p. 22)

As someone who is conducting research in the refugee space, I found Refuge to be an

invaluable resource. The book directed me to all the right literature regarding different
historical acts that have been formed that affect refugees and helped me gain a better
understanding of the refugee experience.
I would highly recommend Refuge by Heba Gowayed to anyone interested in gaining
a deeper understanding of the refugee experience and the issues surrounding immigra-
tion and welfare systems. The book offers a comprehensive and informative overview of
the lives of Syrian families seeking refuge in Canada, the United States, and Germany,
providing insights into the complexities of the refugee crisis. Beyond its focus on refu-
gees, the book also delves into broader issues that affect marginalized communities,
including systemic inequalities and the impacts of colonialism. The author’s accessible
writing style and attention to detail make this book an excellent resource for scholars,
policymakers, and anyone seeking to learn more about the challenges faced by refugees
and immigrants. I would give this book a 10 of 10, and I look forward to reading more
from this talented author in the future.

Reference
Gowayed H (2020) Refuge: How the State Shapes Human Potential. Toronto, ON, Canada:
University of Toronto Press.

Author biography
Shahd Alasaly is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of South Florida,
USA. She received her master’s degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Upon completing her master’s in International Relations, she founded Blue Meets Blue a humani-
tarian clothing line headquartered in Chicago that employed refugee women. Through this venture,
she was able to conduct countless interviews with refugee women and families as they worked
closely on the fashion they produced. The goal was a production of high-end slow fashion by
Reviews: Social Stratification 167

artisans who had a prior skillset in sewing and fashion design. She later moved to Tampa and
began her PhD at the University of South Florida with a concentration in Sociology. Her research
interests include social psychology, trauma and identity, and globalization and migration.

Alizée Delpierre,
Servir les riches: Les domestiques chez les grandes fortunes [Serving the Rich], Éditions La
Découverte: Paris, 2022, 200 pp. (without index): ISBN 9782348069024, 20 euros

Reviewed by: Ana Julieta Teodoro Cleaver, Ph.D. Candidate at Université Paris Cité and
Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

Keywords
Domination, inequalities, paid domestic work, sociology of work, super rich

Alizée Delpierre presents in Servir les riches some outcomes of her impressive doctoral
research. She engaged in fieldwork developed in different countries and languages on the
specificities of the domesticity serving super-rich families. The author focused her research
on France, but she was also led to South Africa, China, and the United Kingdom. Delpierre
presents the complexities of the paid domestic work among the super-rich employing mixed
methods such as interviews with employees, employers, and recruitment agencies; partici-
pant observation while working as a nanny and cooking assistant; and ethnography of the
domestic work. Her analysis is also informed by her training in butler schools and her infor-
mal exchanges and dialog with her interviewees. In this book, she analyzes a complex world
where domination and exploitation are combined with the expectation of social ascension
and the possibility of enjoying a life of luxury. Even though Servir les riches emerges from
her dissertation in Sociology, Delpierre adopts a fluid and easy writing style and yet presents
a sophisticated and deep analysis, inviting both scholars and a non-academic audience, to
discover the issues related to the domestic service to the high-net-worth families.
The book is organized into six chapters, plus an introduction and a conclusion, where
Delpierre reveals aspects of the domesticity serving the super-rich, both from the employ-
ee’s and from the employers’ perspectives. In the introduction, she sets the context of her
analysis, stating that domestic and care work corresponds to up to 5% of employment in
France. Nonetheless, the super-rich domesticity is full-time and represents a niche within
the core of domestic and care work in France, corresponding to some hundreds of thou-
sands of workers. Most of her interviewees among domestic workers were women (72%),
and many of them were foreigners or of immigrant origin. In this sense, the paid domestic
work among aristocrats and millionaires puts face to face socially opposite groups. The
high-net-worth families are not homogeneous, but they are globally occidental and white
elite and experience a unity of belonging. Domestic workers serving the ultra-rich are far
from being homogeneous, as they are a large group, hierarchized and often specialized,
who experience loneliness even when working in a team.
In Chapter 1, Delpierre discusses the super-rich domesticity’s illusio that is as attrac-
tive as living in paradise, at first sight. Object of paternalistic and maternalistic practices,