The Subjectivities and Politics of Occupational Risk: Mines, Farms and Auto Factories

The book explores how occupational risk is subject to subjective interpretations and political dynamics,leading to conflicts and changes in law,politics,and management approaches. It emphasizes the role of worker participation,rights,and self-regulatory technologies in reconstructing control and responsibility for occupational health and safety in a globalized neoliberal economy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 330 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The intricate interplay between occupational risk subjectivities and politics is a profound and multifaceted phenomenon that has far-reaching consequences for workplaces, safety management, and regulatory frameworks. This dynamic relationship is intricately linked to restructuring processes across three industries, leading to significant shifts in risk perceptions and political dynamics, often resulting in conflicts and legal changes.

In the realm of corporate governance, the emphasis on worker participation, rights, and internal responsibility is seen as an attempt by both corporations and governments to reconstruct control and accountability for occupational health and safety risks within the context of a globalized neoliberal economy. This shift emphasizes the importance of engaging workers in decision-making processes and fostering a sense of ownership over safety outcomes.

Part 1 of the book provides a conceptual framework for understanding the subjective bases of worker responses to health and safety hazards. Drawing upon the concepts of habitus from Bourdieu's sociology and the sociology of risk, the author explores how workers develop trust and uncertainty in their interactions with health and safety risks. This framework helps to shed light on the complex factors that shape workers' attitudes and behaviors toward occupational hazards.

Part 2 of the book presents compelling case studies of restructuring processes in three different industries: mines, farms, and auto parts plants. Through detailed analysis of these industries, the author demonstrates how restructuring has led to changes in risk subjectivities and politics, both within workplaces and within safety management and regulatory spheres. The case studies provide valuable insights into the ways in which workers respond to these changes, the challenges they face, and the strategies they employ to protect themselves and their communities.

The final chapter of the book draws out the implications of the evidence and theory for social change. It offers several recommendations for a more worker-centered politics of health and safety, emphasizing the need for greater worker participation, rights protection, and social dialogue in shaping safety policies and practices.

This book will appeal to a wide range of social scientists interested in health and safety, work, employment relations, and labor law. It will also be valuable to worker advocates and activists who are working to promote safer and more just workplaces. By exploring the subjective bases of risk perceptions and the politics of occupational safety, this book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex dynamics that shape work and society.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367632588