Bøker av Rohini Hensman

Inspired by the lives and struggles of working-class women, men and children in Bombay during the 1980s, To Do Something Beautiful was one of the 20 selected titles for Feminist Book Fortnight and went to the top of the Alternative Bestseller List when it was first brought out by Sheba Feminist Publishers in 1990. A social history novel with a large cast of characters, its form mirrors its content as women who are initially isolated come together to fight against poverty, exploitation at work, sexual assault and harassment and domestic violence. There are no generalisations about their relationships with men, some of whom are also fighting for workers' rights, and the relationships between adults and children are also complex and varied. Their multifarious projects do not end with the novel, but continue beyond its last page. 'It has a very fine exploration of relationships between women - very supportive relationships between very poor women in India.'Alice Walker, Hot Wire 'The kind of book which should keep awake socialist economists and activists alike.'Sheila Rowbotham, Z Magazine 'A vast, panoramic novel... in the genre of social history novels, like George Eliot's Middlemarch and Drabble's The Radiant Way.'Rukhsana Ahmad, Spare Rib 'This novel is an absolute must for anyone interested in the personal politics of making gardens out of dunghills; anyone interested in hope!'Helen M. Hintjens, Journal of Gender Studies

While it's easy to blame globalization for shrinking job opportunities, dangerous declines in labor standards, and a host of related discontents, the "e;flattening"e; of the world has also created unprecedented opportunities for worker organization. By expanding employment in developing countries, especially for women, globalization has formed a basis for stronger workers' rights, even in remote sites of production. Using India's labor movement as a model, Rohini Hensman charts the successes and failures, strengths and weaknesses, of the struggle for workers' rights and organization in a rich and varied nation. As Indian products gain wider acceptance in global markets, the disparities in employment conditions and union rights between such regions as the European Union and India's vast informal sector are exposed, raising the issue of globalization's implications for labor. Hensman's study examines the unique pattern of "e;employees' unionism,"e; which emerged in Bombay in the 1950s, before considering union responses to recent developments, especially the drive to form a national federation of independent unions. A key issue is how far unions can resist protectionist impulses and press for stronger global standards, along with the mechanisms to enforce them. After thoroughly unpacking this example, Hensman zooms out to trace the parameters of a global labor agenda, calling for a revival of trade unionism, the elimination of informal labor, and reductions in military spending to favor funding for comprehensive welfare and social security systems.