Unfree Labour

McGrath, Siobhan

Abstract

The persistence and reproduction of unfree labor challenges our understanding of labor relations under capitalism. Some of those concerned with this phenomenon label it “new slavery,” but this implies that it had ended and has since returned. An analysis which instead takes into account different mechanisms by which unfreedom can be imposed in labor relations reveals otherwise. Unfreedom in labor relations, understood as an exercise of power, has taken a variety of forms which vary over time and space. This entry discusses the definitions of unfree labor, forced labor, new slavery and trafficking. It reviews debates around each of these within policy-oriented literature, the new slavery school of thought, Marxian perspectives and a new critical studies of unfree labor school of thought. It notes that there is room for labor geography to bring additional insights to the study of unfree labor and unfreedom in labor relations.

Citation

McGrath, S. (2016). Unfree Labour. In N. Castree, M. Goodchild, A. Kobayashi, W. Liu, D. Marston, & D. Richardson (Eds.), International encyclopedia of geography : people, the Earth, environment, and technology. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118786352

• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jan 28, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 2, 2016
• Publisher: Wiley
• Book Title: International encyclopedia of geography : people, the Earth, environment, and technology.
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118786352
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1672943
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9781118786352
• Contract Date: Dec 20, 2014