South Asia, hoe t a quarter of the world's workforce, has in recent years experienced economic growth and unprecedented levels of global integration. Despite this, there continues to be a large disparity in income. Rural poverty remains acute and extensive and manual laborers still constitute the majority of India's poor.

Rethinking Economic Change in India departs from the commonly used cultural approach to explain India's economic history, placing labor history in the context of economic change within the region. Roy examines the condition of rural labor, the transition in the economic position of women, the role of informal labor in Indian industry and the importance of labor-intensive industrialization.

This highly original, though-provoking book will prove invaluable to students studying labor economics, economic history and economic history courses on India as well as for academics interested in the field.