MACMILLAN Work, Institutions and Sustainable Livelihood: Issues and Challenges of Transformation

The book explores the debates surrounding sustainable livelihood in the neoliberal era effected through transformation of the nature of work and the role of institutions, particularly in the Global South. By creating gainful work and employment opportunities through formal and informal institutions using progressive instruments and innovations within rural and urban economies, livelihood becomes ‘sustainable’, thereby reducing inequality and increasing resilience among households. Based on both theoretical and empirical studies from Asia and Africa, the book establishes the relationship between three broad concepts – work, institutions and sustainable development. The content has been divided into three broad sections: Rural Economy and Its Transformations; Urbanisation and Sustainable Livelihood; and Innovations and Instruments of Transformation. This book is a valuable resource for scholars of development studies, rural and urban studies, labour studies besides economics, sociology, political science and policymaking. Review “Xaxa, Saha and Singha tackle some of the most urgent questions that face the lower income half of the world.  This collection is a necessary contribution to a momentous global dialogue.” (Chris Tilly, Professor of Urban Planning, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, USA) “The challenge in the developing world is to enable institutions that trigger sustainable work and development. This insightful book critically discusses various attempts towards that objective in different economic sectors and regions of the world. It is an important contribution to our understanding of livelihoods and the socio-economic and political forces that influence them.” (Errol D’Souza, Professor of Economics and Dean (Faculty), IIM Ahmedabad, India) “The volume carries insightful contributions on critical issues of rural and urban transformation in Asian and African countries focusing on marginalized sections. It will be of value to scholars and policy-makers who are engaged in understanding the dynamics of the process of securing sustainable livelihood in contemporary times.” (Manoranjan Mohanty, Former Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi, India, and Editor, Social Change) From the Back Cover The book explores the debates surrounding sustainable livelihood in the neoliberal era effected through transformation of the nature of work and the role of institutions, particularly in the Global South. By creating gainful work and employment opportunities through formal and informal institutions using progressive instruments and innovations within rural and urban economies, livelihood becomes ‘sustainable’, thereby reducing inequality and increasing resilience among households. Based on both theoretical and empirical studies from Asia and Africa, the book establishes the relationship between three broad concepts – work, institutions and sustainable development. The content has been divided into three broad sections: Rural Economy and Its Transformations; Urbanisation and Sustainable Livelihood; and  Innovations and Instruments of Transformation. This book is a valuable resource for scholars of development studies, rural and urban studies, labour studies besides economics, sociology, political science and policymaking. About the Author Virginius Xaxa is Professor of Eminence at Tezpur University and former Deputy Director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati Campus, Assam, India. He is the author of Economic Dualism and Structure of Class (1997) and State, Society and Tribes (2008), co-author of Plantation Labour in India (1996) and co-editor of Social Exclusion and Adverse Inclusion: Adivasis in India (2012).   Debdulal Saha is an assistant professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati Campus, Assam, India. He is the author of Informal Markets, Livelihood and Politics: Street Vendors in Urban India (2017), co-author of