Overview

Siddharth Kara's Sex Trafficking has become a critical resource for its revelations into an unconscionable business, and its detailed analysis of the trade's immense economic benefits and human cost. This volume is Kara's second, explosive study of slavery, this time focusing on the deeply entrenched and wholly unjust system of bonded labor. Drawing on eleven years of research in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, Kara delves into an ancient and ever-evolving mode of slavery that ensnares roughly six out of every ten slaves in the world and generates profits that exceeded $17.6 billion in 2011. In addition to providing a thorough economic, historical, and legal overview of bonded labor, Kara travels to the far reaches of South Asia, from cyclone-wracked southwestern Bangladesh to the Thar desert on the India-Pakistan border, to uncover the brutish realities of such industries as hand-woven-carpet making, tea and rice farming, construction, brick manufacture, and frozen-shrimp production. He describes the violent enslavement of millions of impoverished men, women, and children who toil in the production of numerous products at minimal cost to the global market. He also follows supply chains directly to Western consumers, vividly connecting regional bonded labor practices to the appetites of the world. Kara's pioneering analysis encompasses human trafficking, child labor, and global security, and he concludes with specific initiatives to eliminate the system of bonded labor from South Asia once and for all.

Full Product Details

Author:   Siddharth Kara
Publisher:   Columbia University Press
Imprint:   Columbia University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 3.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.595kg
ISBN:  

9780231158480

ISBN 10:   0231158483
Pages:   336
Publication Date:   25 September 2012
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Language:   English

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures Preface Acknowledgments 1. Bonded Labor: An Overview 2. Agriculture: Kamaiya and Hari 3. Bricks and Bidis 4. Shrimp and Tea 5. Construction and Stonebreaking 6. Carpets and Other Sectors 7. Bonded Labor and the Law 8. Tackling Bonded Labor Appendix A: Global Slavery Metrics Appendix B: Select Bonded Labor Economics Appendix C: Select Bonded Labor Supply Chains Appendix D: Bonded Labor as Defined by India's Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act Appendix E: Bonded Labor Law and Cases: Pakistan Appendix F: Select Economic and Human Development Statistics Notes Works Cited Index

Reviews

Kara's exploration is perhaps the most ambitious and reasoned treatment of this form of slavery in the modern era. By combining academic rigor and discipline alongside the narratives and voices of slaves, Kara offers a definitive analysis of the complexity of bonded labor as well as a reinvigoration of the movement to end this form of slavery globally. A must-read for all who want to better understand the trajectory of the global economy and its effect on labor. -- Randy Newcomb, president/CEO, Humanity United Kara's eye-opening view of bonded labor jolts the reader into acute awareness of one of the most insidious forms of modern-day slavery, inciting us to act to end this crime against humanity. -- Anne Archer, founder, Artists for Human Rights This book is a tool for a slave-free future. Incisive, relevant, and composite, it offers the latest data on bonded labor in South Asia, argues brilliantly that choice is irrelevant to bondage, and has new 'how-to' guides for activism. -- Ruchira Gupta, president/founder, Apne Aap Women Worldwide A beautifully lucid, compelling mixture of history, investigative journalism, personal testimony, and trenchant socioeconomic criticism. -- Jacqueline Bhabha, Harvard University An eloquent description of human misery and courage. The unique contribution of Kara's book is his in-depth economic analysis of industries where high profits are made on the expense of millions of poor and vulnerable people. -- Beate Andrees, International Labour Office Bonded Labor blends an historical account of the origins of slavery with meticulous research and first-hand testimonies from victims. The book enables the reader to fully grasp the extent of the problem and should move us all to act. -- Nina Smith, executive director, GoodWeave U.S.A. Beyond sobering, disturbing, yet so well and humanly written. The solutions proposed are the clearest in relegating this modern-day slavery, finally, to history. -- Erica Stone, president, American Himalayan Foundation Passionate...yet data-driven and absent of sensationalism, Kara's spotlight on debt bondage, at once the most ancient and most contemporary face of human servitude, warrants profound attention. Publishers Weekly This book is a valuable resource for policy makers, human-rights activists, legal experts and academics, as well as for businesses with supply chains in developing countries. It deserves attention, and should inspire the eradication of the insidious crime of enslavement. -- Kathleen Hwang Asia Literary Review

Siddharth Kara's exploration of bonded labor in South Asia is perhaps the most ambitious and reasoned treatment of this form of slavery in the modern era. From bricks and bidis to construction and carpets, Kara draws from eleven years of field-based research across South Asia to uncover the practice and networks of this very elusive form of enslavement. By combining both academic rigor and discipline alongside the narrative and voices of slaves, this text offers a definitive analysis of the complexity of bonded labor as well as a basis to reinvigorate the modern day movement to end this form of slavery globally. This is a must read for all that want to better understand the trajectory of the global economy and its influence and impact on labor. -- Randy Newcomb, President/CEO, Humanity United You cannot change what you do not know. Siddharth Kara delivers an eye opening view of bonded labor, jolting the reader into acute awareness of one of the most insidious forms of modern day slavery inciting us to act to end this human degradation and crime against humanity. -- Anne Archer, Founder, Artists for Human Rights The book you hold in your hands is a tool for a slave-free future. Incisive, relevant, and composite, it offers the latest data on bonded labor in South Asia, argues brilliantly that choice is irrelevant to bondage, and has new how-to tools for activism. A must-read for all those who work against modern day slavery. -- Ruchira Gupta, President and Founder, Apne Aap Women Worldwide Comprehensively and intelligently researched, though it wears its erudition lightly. Bonded Labour is beautifully lucid, a compelling mixture of history, investigative journalism, personal testimony and trenchant socio-economic criticism. -- Jacqueline Bhabha, Director of Research, FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University This book provides a comprehensive picture of bonded labour in South Asia. It is an eloquent description of human misery and courage, combined with hard empirical evidence. Indeed, the unique contribution of Kara's new book is his in-depth economic analysis of industries where high profits are made on the expense of millions of poor and vulnerable people. Kara also presents compelling arguments for taking action against bonded labour, looking at underlying causes at the supply and demand side. A necessary book for all those concerned with the struggle against contemporary forced labour and slavery. -- Beate Andrees, Head, ILO Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour Siddharth's new book Bonded Labor blends an historical account of the origins of slavery with his own meticulous research, calculations showing the profitability of bonded labor and first-hand testimonies from victims. The book enables the reader to fully grasp the extent of the problem today, and should move us all to act. -- Nina Smith, Executive Director, GoodWeave USA Bonded Labor is a compelling read about the enslavement of millions of people in South Asia. Carefully researched and written, author Siddharth Kara leads us through the many sectors of industry - from brickmaking and construction to shrimp and tea farming - where whole families can live and die without drawing a breath of free air. It's beyond sobering, it's disturbing, and yet, it's so well and humanly written, I found myself up past midnight reading it. The solutions he proposes will not be simple to implement, but they are the clearest I have read in relegating this modern day slavery, finally, to history. -- Erica Stone, President, American Himalayan Foundation

Bonded Labor is a compelling read about the enslavement of millions of people in South Asia. Carefully researched and written, author Siddharth Kara leads us through the many sectors of industry - from brickmaking and construction to shrimp and tea farming - where whole families can live and die without drawing a breath of free air. It's beyond sobering, it's disturbing, and yet, it's so well and humanly written, I found myself up past midnight reading it. The solutions he proposes will not be simple to implement, but they are the clearest I have read in relegating this modern day slavery, finally, to history. -- Erica Stone, President, American Himalayan Foundation Siddharth Kara's exploration of bonded labor in South Asia is perhaps the most ambitious and reasoned treatment of this form of slavery in the modern era. From bricks and bidis to construction and carpets, Kara draws from eleven years of field-based research across South Asia to uncover the practice and networks of this very elusive form of enslavement. By combining both academic rigor and discipline alongside the narrative and voices of slaves, this text offers a definitive analysis of the complexity of bonded labor as well as a basis to reinvigorate the modern day movement to end this form of slavery globally. This is a must read for all that want to better understand the trajectory of the global economy and its influence and impact on labor. -- Randy Newcomb, President/CEO, Humanity United As a human rights activist and crusader for human dignity who has combated bonded labour for over three decades under the auspices of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front, I find Siddharth's brilliant academic research on bonded labour in South Asia very moving and rich in fresh insights. The book is instinct with a passion for a world free from exploitation and for all to enjoy dignity and fulfillment. I have great joy in commending this scholarly and soulful work to readers all over the world. -- Swami Agnivesh, Social Activist and Chairperson,Bonded Labour Liberation Front The book you hold in your hands is a tool for a slave-free future. Incisive, relevant, and composite, it offers the latest data on bonded labor in South Asia, argues brilliantly that choice is irrelevant to bondage, and has new how-to tools for activism. A must-read for all those who work against modern day slavery. -- Ruchira Gupta, President, Apne Aap International

Author Information

Siddharth Kara is Director of the Carr Center Program on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and Fellow on Forced Labor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Kara speaks and consults extensively on contemporary slavery worldwide and advises several governments on antitrafficking policy and law. His first book, Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery, received Yale University's prestigious Frederick Douglass Book Prize.

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