Uncertain Times

This volume gathers labor anthropology from several countries and is presented as the first collection of its kind. Its authors argue that conventional unions have been absorbed into neoliberal economic agendas, so that they now function mainly as service providers instead of engines for broader social change. In their view, the way unions are organized suits employers, who want a steady workforce, while leaving unions little ability to stop outsourcing, subcontracting, and other practices that erode job security.

The chapters draw on case studies from Switzerland, Israel, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, Greece, Sweden, Turkey, Brazil, and Spain. The contributors show that this weakening of unions has unfolded unevenly across different periods and places. They also point to openings for unions to regain influence through more forceful and inventive collective action.

The accounts come from activist anthropologists who have worked inside the labor movement as members and staff, alongside scholars who study policy, law, worker organizing, and the effects on communities. Together they describe the many strategies workers are using to defend their rights in a shifting global labor market. The book is aimed at students and researchers in anthropology, the sociology of work, and labor studies, as well as union leaders and anyone interested in new ways to organize workers, build class consciousness, and grow social movements.