New Books in Economics Jamie Cross, “Dream Zones: Anticipating Capitalism and Development in India” (Pluto Books,
Dec 12, 2014
Jamie Cross, a Lecturer in Social Anthropology and Development at the University of Edinburgh, discusses his book, which examines dreams of the future in special economic zones in India. He reveals how stakeholders' anticipations shape their realities in capitalism and labor. Listeners will learn about the intricate social dynamics involved, including grassroots resistance to SEZs and the empowerment of local communities. Cross also shares insights from a diamond factory's floor, illustrating the complexities of worker-manager relationships amid industrial challenges.
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Futures Make The Present Work
- Futures shape present economic and social arrangements through expectations and hopes.
- Anticipation helps explain why people consent to land transfers and repetitive factory labor.
Diamond Factory Sparked National Scrutiny
- A landmark 2002 diamond-factory strike in Visakhapatnam triggered an ILO complaint and national scrutiny.
- That factory employed about 1,500 young workers and became a flagship for state investment dreams.
Zones As Blank Slates For Imagined Futures
- Special Economic Zones function as bounded 'spaces of exception' creating blank slates for policy and planning.
- That boundedness fuels political and consultancy fantasies about remaking states and attracting investors.
