Centre of Development Studies
In 2013, a Bangladeshi building collapse killed over a thousand garment factory workers. These factories are the local arms of a sprawling $2.5t global industry represented in all our closets. I research the behind-the-scenes politics that denies these workers even basic rights, using Bangladesh’s flagship National Social Security Strategy as a case study. I’ve found that national-level corruption is an inadequate explanation; global forces—with headquarters in US, UK, Spain, Sweden—actively promote and sustain the repressive status quo. My findings can guide campaigners and policymakers to enact ‘realistic’ policies to better the lives of millions of workers in developing countries.
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