3 Review(s)

The late twentieth century socio-economic transition in Asia has resulted in large-scale migration of rural masses to urban industrial areas in search of their livelihood. However, a complete lack of institutional support, uncertain work tenure, dismal conditions at the workplace, and long working hours along with low wages have interminably forced these migrants' return to their places of origin, turning 'labour migration' into 'labour circulation'. Based on extensive fieldwork in India, China, and Indonesia, Jan Breman argues that the increasing work saturation in the informal sector, the intolerance of the urban population towards the poor, and the apathy of policymakers have ensured that these masses are perpetually trapped in this predicament. About the Author Jan Breman Professor Emeritus at the University of Amsterdam, Fellow of the Amsterdam School for Social Science Research, and Fellow of the International Institute of Asian Studies, Leiden.