
Inside Mining Capitalism
The Micropolitics of Work on the Congolese and Zambian Copperbelts
Benjamin Rubbers(Editor)
James Currey (Publisher)
Published on 15. October 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
186 pages
978-1-84701-286-9 (ISBN)
Description
A groundbreaking analysis of 21st century labour practices in the mining industry and the new scramble for industrial power on the African continent.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, African countries with mineral resources have witnessed an unprecedented rise in foreign direct investments and the development of new flexible workforce management practices in the mining industry. But what does this mean for those who actually work in this industry? Based on research in the Congo and Zambia, where a mining boom has led to more than thirty new mining projects in recent years, this book explores the processes of improvisation and adaptation behind the emergence of this neoliberal labour regime. The contributors show how mining projects' labour practices have been mediated, negotiated, or resisted by mine workers, unionists, and human resource managers. They discuss variations in labour practices put in place by new mining projects depending on the type of capital involved, the type of mine being developed, and their location. Finally, the book examines the implications of power dynamics surrounding companies' labour strategies from the broader perspective of the responsibility of trade unions, gender equality, and identity politics.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, African countries with mineral resources have witnessed an unprecedented rise in foreign direct investments and the development of new flexible workforce management practices in the mining industry. But what does this mean for those who actually work in this industry? Based on research in the Congo and Zambia, where a mining boom has led to more than thirty new mining projects in recent years, this book explores the processes of improvisation and adaptation behind the emergence of this neoliberal labour regime. The contributors show how mining projects' labour practices have been mediated, negotiated, or resisted by mine workers, unionists, and human resource managers. They discuss variations in labour practices put in place by new mining projects depending on the type of capital involved, the type of mine being developed, and their location. Finally, the book examines the implications of power dynamics surrounding companies' labour strategies from the broader perspective of the responsibility of trade unions, gender equality, and identity politics.
Reviews / Votes
Exposes a new history for thinking about labor in highly contested resource regions of the neoliberal order and what is soon to become a more fascistic and protective order of international economics after neoliberalism. ... Should be read by anyone working on mining in modern Africa, as it offers a broader history than the southern African focus of most work on African mining. As well, the work would be a welcome addition for broader readers looking to understand labor relations and the history of organizing in postcolonial spaces. -- African Studies QuarterlyMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
2 Karten
2 Maps
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
237 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84701-286-9 (9781847012869)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Unknown | Benjamin Rubbers
Inside Mining Capitalism
The Micropolitics of Work on the Congolese and Zambian Copperbelts
E-Book
10/2021
1st Edition
Boydell & Brewer
€14.99
Available for download
Persons
BENJAMIN RUBBERS is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Liege, Lecturer at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, and a Research Associate at the Society, Work, and Development Institute of the University of the Witwatersrand. BENJAMIN RUBBERS is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Liege, Lecturer at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, and a Research Associate at the Society, Work, and Development Institute of the University of the Witwatersrand.
Content
Introduction: Mining Capitalism from Below by Benjamin Rubbers
Labour Regimes: A Comparative History by Benjamin Rubbers and Emma Lochery
Safety: The Politics of Life in a Neoliberal Labour Regime by James Musonda and Francesca Pugliese
Gender: Navigating a Male-dominated Space by Francesca Pugliese and James Musonda
Union Elections: Marketing 'Modern' Unionism by Kristien Geenen and Thomas McNamara
Strikes: Claiming Union Power in Chinese Companies by Thomas McNamara and Kristien Geenen
Human Resource Managers: Mediating Capital and Labour by Emma Lochery and Benjamin Rubbers
Conclusion: Beyond the Neoliberal Labour Regime by Benjamin Rubbers
Labour Regimes: A Comparative History by Benjamin Rubbers and Emma Lochery
Safety: The Politics of Life in a Neoliberal Labour Regime by James Musonda and Francesca Pugliese
Gender: Navigating a Male-dominated Space by Francesca Pugliese and James Musonda
Union Elections: Marketing 'Modern' Unionism by Kristien Geenen and Thomas McNamara
Strikes: Claiming Union Power in Chinese Companies by Thomas McNamara and Kristien Geenen
Human Resource Managers: Mediating Capital and Labour by Emma Lochery and Benjamin Rubbers
Conclusion: Beyond the Neoliberal Labour Regime by Benjamin Rubbers