Book launch – Garments without Guilt?

Sri Lanka’s apparel sector holds an enviable place of its competitors, for having a niche position amongst global retailers, given its claims of producing ‘garments without guilt’. Kanchana N. Ruwanpura, Professor in Human Geography, at the University of Gothenburg has written the book “Garments without guilt? Global labour justice and ethical codes in Sri Lankan apparels”. She gives a historical background informed by labour and feminist perspectives, of the labour struggles in the post-1977 period in Sri Lanka and record the centrality of labour in the success of the country’s apparel industry.

The book uses an analytical framing informed by labour and feminist perspectives to explore how labour struggles in the post-1977 period in Sri Lanka provided important resistance to capitalist processes and continue to shape the industry both within and outside of the shop floor. It studies contextual moments in the country’s recent history to rupture the dominant narrative and record the centrality of labour in the success of the country’s apparel industry.

Cambridge University Press together with the University of Gothenburg is launching a book at an event taking place on March 31st via Zoom.

Speakers

Jonas Lindberg, Associate Professor of Human Geography, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Dina Siddiqi, Clinical Associate Professor, New York University, USA

Jeroen Merk, Human and Labour Rights expert, The Netherlands and formerly of Clean Clothes Campaign

Kanchana N. Ruwanpura, Fellow, Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
and Professor, Human Geography, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Venues

Online via Zoom link