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Talk On — Debates in Anthropology Podcast
Labor on the Line w/ Anna-Lena Wolf

Labor on the Line w/ Anna-Lena Wolf

Talk On — Debates in Anthropology vor 3 Monaten

Justice at Work on Assam Tea Plantations

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41:27

In this episode, Jovan Maud talks to Anna-Lena Wolf about her
book *Labor on the Line — Justice at Work at Tea Plantations in
Assam, India*. The book examines the concept of justice in the
context of tea plantations in Assam, India, and how different
actors—including workers, managers and activists—have differing
notions of justice. Anna-Lena conducted long-term field research
in Assam, where she observed the complexity of notions of justice
and how these are negotiated between different actors. She argues
that justice functions differently at various levels, from the
plantation to the nation-state, and that agency is not only about
rebelling against oppressive structures but also about making
decisions within them. During the discussion, Anna-Lena
highlights the changes on the plantations, including the
abolition of the Plantation Labour Act and the rise of smaller
producers, which may not please workers employed on several
plantations. Anna-Lena concludes by examining the wider
implications of her research, including the potential to apply
the concept of workplace justice to contexts beyond Assam's tea
plantations.