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Many chains to break: the multi-dimensional concept of slave labour in Brazil

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Many chains to break: the multi-dimensional concept of slave labour in Brazil. / McGrath, Siobhan.
In: Antipode, Vol. 45, No. 4, 09.2013, p. 1005-1028.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

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McGrath S. Many chains to break: the multi-dimensional concept of slave labour in Brazil. Antipode. 2013 Sept;45(4):1005-1028. Epub 2012 Jul 19. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8330.2012.01024.x

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Bibtex

@article{f1a762fffb614dc6971dba19031173a1,
title = "Many chains to break: the multi-dimensional concept of slave labour in Brazil",
abstract = "This article examines the concept of slave labour through two case studies from Brazil. One involves internal migrant workers and the other cross-border migrant workers. There have been accusations of slave labour in both cases. I argue that slave labour is a multi-dimensional concept and that cognate notions (eg forced and unfree labour) could also be reconceived as multi-dimensional. Recent works have proposed that a continuum viewing labour relations as more or less free should replace dichotomies such as free vs unfree. I argue for taking this further to recognise, first, that workers may be more or less free in different ways, and second, that the resulting conditions of employment can be characterised as more or less degrading, also in different ways. This multi-dimensional approach allows for a better understanding of the heterogeneity of apparently unfree labour relations and for greater recognition of the agency of workers labelled as slaves.",
keywords = "unfree labour , human trafficking, labour migration, degrading work, contemporary slavery, slave labour",
author = "Siobhan McGrath",
year = "2013",
month = sep,
doi = "10.1111/j.1467-8330.2012.01024.x",
language = "English",
volume = "45",
pages = "1005--1028",
journal = "Antipode",
issn = "0066-4812",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "4",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Many chains to break

T2 - the multi-dimensional concept of slave labour in Brazil

AU - McGrath, Siobhan

PY - 2013/9

Y1 - 2013/9

N2 - This article examines the concept of slave labour through two case studies from Brazil. One involves internal migrant workers and the other cross-border migrant workers. There have been accusations of slave labour in both cases. I argue that slave labour is a multi-dimensional concept and that cognate notions (eg forced and unfree labour) could also be reconceived as multi-dimensional. Recent works have proposed that a continuum viewing labour relations as more or less free should replace dichotomies such as free vs unfree. I argue for taking this further to recognise, first, that workers may be more or less free in different ways, and second, that the resulting conditions of employment can be characterised as more or less degrading, also in different ways. This multi-dimensional approach allows for a better understanding of the heterogeneity of apparently unfree labour relations and for greater recognition of the agency of workers labelled as slaves.

AB - This article examines the concept of slave labour through two case studies from Brazil. One involves internal migrant workers and the other cross-border migrant workers. There have been accusations of slave labour in both cases. I argue that slave labour is a multi-dimensional concept and that cognate notions (eg forced and unfree labour) could also be reconceived as multi-dimensional. Recent works have proposed that a continuum viewing labour relations as more or less free should replace dichotomies such as free vs unfree. I argue for taking this further to recognise, first, that workers may be more or less free in different ways, and second, that the resulting conditions of employment can be characterised as more or less degrading, also in different ways. This multi-dimensional approach allows for a better understanding of the heterogeneity of apparently unfree labour relations and for greater recognition of the agency of workers labelled as slaves.

KW - unfree labour

KW - human trafficking

KW - labour migration

KW - degrading work

KW - contemporary slavery

KW - slave labour

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864035577&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-8330.2012.01024.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1467-8330.2012.01024.x

M3 - Journal article

VL - 45

SP - 1005

EP - 1028

JO - Antipode

JF - Antipode

SN - 0066-4812

IS - 4

ER -