Peripheral Labour

This volume takes an alternative look at the notion of 'wage-workers'. The contributors suggest that the idea of a 'pure' working class should be reconsidered and examine specific South Asian and Latin American case studies. By rethinking the fundamental assumptions of 'classical' labor and working-class history, this volume contributes to the development of a non-Eurocentric historiography.

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This volume takes an alternative look at the notion of 'wage-workers'. The contributors suggest that the idea of a 'pure' working class should be reconsidered and examine specific South Asian and Latin American case studies. A large part of the working class in the so-called third world and also in the main capitalist countries is either free (but coerced through non-economic means) or does hidden work labor e.g. as formally self-employed producers. By rethinking the fundamental assumptions of 'classical' labor and working-class history, the volume contributes to the development of a non-Eurocentric historiography.