Precarious Asia: Global Capitalism and Work in Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia

Precarious Asia examines the role of global and domestic factors in shaping precarious work and its outcomes in Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia, revealing how it contributes to increasing inequality and condemns segments of the population to chronic poverty and livelihood and income vulnerability.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 21 December 2021
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Precarious Asia delves into the intricate interplay of global and domestic factors that shape precarious work and its outcomes in Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia, three diverse Asian political democracies and capitalist economies. Japan and South Korea, as developed and mature economies, stand in contrast to Indonesia, which remains a lower-middle-income country. Drawing upon their extensive expertise in Asian studies, comparative political economy, social stratification and inequality, and the sociology of work, the authors offer insightful perspectives on the prevalence and consequences of precarious work. Through a comprehensive analysis that connects macrostructural policies to the mesostructure of labor relations and the microstructure of outcomes experienced by individual workers, they unveil the complex dynamics that give rise to precarious work. By synthesizing historical and institutional analyses with the political economy of capitalism and class relations, the book sheds light on how precarious work contributes to escalating levels of inequality, trapping segments of the population in chronic poverty and subjecting many more to livelihood and income vulnerability. This insightful work serves as a powerful testament to the urgent need for policies and interventions that address the challenges posed by precarious work and promote fair and sustainable employment opportunities for all.

Weight: 534g
Dimension: 237 x 159 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503610255