1st Edition
Social Transformation in Bangladesh Pathways, Challenges and the Way Forward
Social Transformation in Bangladesh explores the social, political, and cultural implications of the unprecedented economic development that has occurred in Bangladesh since its independence in 1971.
In the 1970s, Bangladesh was labelled an international basket case because of food insecurity and low levels of per capita income with high population growth and various social problems. Defying overwhelming odds, however, a societal transformation is underway in Bangladesh with diverse opportunities and challenges. This edited book analyses issues of inclusivity, extractivism, sustainability and equitability as it takes a look at the interconnected metamorphosis of the economy, society, culture, and the environment of Bangladesh. Discussing topics from the products of post-industrial society, such as YouTube sensations and digital labour platforms, to groups that have suffered marginalisation for decades, such as the urban poor, and Indigenous peoples, a wide array of scholarship and case studies are used to analyse the challenges and opportunities offered by the process of societal transformation.
With insights from multidisciplinary scholars, this collection will be of great interest to those specialising in the fields of sociology, political science, anthropology, development, refugee and migrant studies, media studies, labour studies, health, and indigeneity.
Understanding Social Transformation in Bangladesh: An Introduction, Shahidur Rahman and Md. Masud-All-Kamal; 1. The Path to Neoliberalism: Investigating Bangladesh's Political Economic Transformation, Nikhil Deb; 2. Neoliberal Restructuring and the Precarious Urban Poor in Dhaka City, Meheri Tamanna; 3. Post-Secular Narratives: Negotiating Religion and State in Bangladesh, Abdul Wohab; 4. Challenges to News Media in Bangladesh, Atiqur Rahman; 5. Challenges to Retain Female Workers in the Bangladesh Garment Industry, Shahidur Rahman; 6. Digital Labour Platforms, Resistance and Labour Protection in Bangladesh, Lutfun Nahar Lata; 7. Barriers to Implementing NGO-initiated Climate Change Adaptation in Bangladesh, Md. Masud-All-Kamal; 8. Circulation of success stories of fellow Indigenous individuals – Assessing the Beneficial or detrimental Effects, Urmee Chakma and Dinalo Chakma; 9. The Rise of YouTube and its influence on major aspects of life in Bangladesh, Mohammad Hasib Emran, MD Fardeen Kibria and Farhan Islam; 10. Adverse Birth Outcomes in Bangladesh: A Public Health Model of Prevention, Nafisa Halim, Kazi Md Mukitul Islam & Nandini Agarwal; 11. Genocide against the Rohingyas in Myanmar, ecocide against the Ukhiyans in Bangladesh: The Genocide-Ecocide Nexus, Afroza Anwary; 12. Bangladeshi Migrant Shipbuilders in Italy: Rethinking Precarity and their livelihood, Al Amin Rabby and Devi Sacchetto; Index
Biography
Shahidur Rahman is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Economics and Social Sciences at BRAC University, Bangladesh. His research interests include political economy of development, industrial relations, gender, and labour, with a particular focus on the Bangladesh garment industry. Shahidur is the author of three books and his most recent one is, The Bangladesh Garment Industry and the Global Supply Chain: Choices and Constraints of Management (Routledge, 2021).
Md. Masud-All-Kamal is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He is also a member of the Adaptation, Community and Environment (ACE) Research Group at the University of Adelaide, Australia. His research focuses on the social dimensions of climate change, community engagement and socially just transition. His research output has appeared in reputed international outlets.
