Book Talk: Insurgency Trap, Labor Politics in Postsocialist China

During the first decade of the twenty-first century, worker resistance in China increased rapidly despite the fact that certain segments of the state began moving in a pro-labor direction. State-run unions have been unable to win recognition from workers, and wildcat strikes and other disruptions continue to be the most effective means for addressing workplace grievances. Why is the pattern of labor conflict in China different from other industrializing countries, and how can we better understand labor politics in the developing world?

Join us for a Chats in the Stacks book talk with Eli Friedman, assistant professor of International and Comparative Labor at Cornell University’s ILR School. His new book Insurgency Trap: Labor Politics in Postsocialist China (Cornell University Press, June 3, 2014) provides an in-depth analysis of labor unrest in contemporary China. Friedman currently has two major research projects, the first of which looks at state responses to worker unrest in China and the development of labor relations institutions. The second project is a study of Chinese urbanization, with a particular focus on access to education for rural to urban migrants. His peer reviewed articles have appeared in ILR Review, Theory and Society, British Journal of Industrial Relations, and Mobilization, among others. He is also a regular contributor to Jacobin.

This event is hosted by the ILR Catherwood Library. Buffalo Street Books will offer books for purchase and signing at the event.