Lavoro e diritti in Cina: Politiche sul lavoro e attivismo operaio nella fabbrica del mondo (Labour and rights in China: Labour politics and worker activism in the world factory)

For at least a couple of decades, labour issues have been playing a fundamental role in defining the global image of China. Stories of low salaries, workplace accidents, and strikes taking place in China regularly appear on the international press, contributing to the bad reputation of what is commonly considered the “workshop of the world”. Still, now that China is on the rise as a global power, it is more important than ever to abandon any rhetoric when talking about Chinese labour. What is the role of state, trade union, and workers in China? Is it true that Chinese migrant workers are as docile as they say? And how do labour NGOs operate in an authoritarian political system? This volume, based on a decade of fieldwork, responds to these and other questions, unveiling a multifaceted reality in which social actors often play complex and contradictory roles that escape from any stereotype and simplification.