Mumbai Taximen: Autobiographies and Automobilities in India

Tarini Bedi's book "Mumbai Taximen" explores the taxi industry in Mumbai, India, and the livelihoods that surround it. It examines how the accumulation of capital in this masculinized and mobile trade depends on forms of fixed domestic labor and an ethics of care, and how connections among these factors impact the production and reshaping of working-class personhood and laboring subjects. The book provides a correction to Western assumptions about automobility by exploring South Asian social, material, political, labor, and technological histories and practices of motoring and automobility.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: University of Washington Press

In this groundbreaking book-length study, Tarini Bedi delves deep into the intricate world of Mumbai's taxi industry, exploring the diverse livelihoods that surround it. Drawing from the rich experiences and narratives of chillia taxi drivers, who have upheld a hereditary trade for over a century, Bedi offers a comprehensive examination of the Bombay taxi in all its manifestations. She examines the taxi as a material object driven by human labor, a vital economic and political connection, a symbol of kinship, an embodiment of urban time and technology, and much more. Through her insightful analysis, Bedi reveals how the accumulation of capital in this masculinized and mobile trade is intricately linked to forms of fixed domestic labor and an ethics of care. She demonstrates how these interconnected factors shape the production and transformation of working-class personhood and laboring subjects.

Mumbai Taximen takes readers on a captivating journey through the sensory, embodied, and political domains of taxi drivers' work. While prevailing perceptions of automobility often adhere to Western frameworks, the realities in the Global South diverge significantly. Mumbai Taximen serves as a timely correction to this imbalance, offering a comprehensive exploration of South Asian social, material, political, labor, and technological histories and practices of motoring and automobility.

By delving into the lives and stories of chillia taxi drivers, Bedi sheds light on the enduring traditions and resilience of the working class in Mumbai. The book highlights the challenges faced by these drivers, including long working hours, low wages, and the constant struggle against regulatory hurdles. However, it also portrays the vibrant community and sense of camaraderie that emerges among taxi drivers, who form a tight-knit network that provides support and solidarity in the face of adversity.

Through its multidisciplinary approach, Mumbai Taximen offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between mobility, labor, technology, and social change. It challenges prevailing narratives that portray the Global South as passive recipients of Western technological advancements and highlights the agency and creativity of local communities in adapting and innovating mobility solutions. The book also raises important questions about the role of automobility in shaping urban landscapes, environmental sustainability, and the distribution of resources.

In conclusion, Mumbai Taximen is a groundbreaking work that provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the taxi industry and the livelihoods that surround it in Mumbai. Through the voices and experiences of chillia taxi drivers, Bedi offers a profound exploration of the social, economic, and political dimensions of automobility in the Global South. The book serves as a valuable contribution to the field of urban studies, transportation studies, and South Asian studies, offering insights that will be of interest to scholars, policymakers, and practitioners alike.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780295749853