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Paper short abstract:

I will challenge conceptualisations of capitalism as abstract dis-embedded realities as humans are oriented to other humans and act in relation to each other within a system which is open rather than closed. I will explore value(s) within a capitalist regime using narratives from Bangladesh.

Paper long abstract:

My research focuses on Bangladesh and reflects on its distinct linkages with the global process of capitalism. By interweaving theory and evidence throughout the narratives, I will challenge conceptualisations of capitalism in general, as abstract dis-embedded realities. Here, I will elaborate on why an extreme universalistic approach (such as the universal logic that propels capital and capitalism, explaining every social relation in light of class, and understanding objective structures for expanded wealth accumulation) or a vernacular approach (evading global processes) will lead to only a partial understanding of the condition of human existence. The study of capitalism in Bangladesh revealed that unfreedom, exploitation, and social oppression interplay in complex ways, which remain out of focus in debates on industrial transition. Capitalism alone does not reproduce the social that regulates the social conduct of people. Rather, we must consider what humans try to achieve in life through the things they do in social settings - which is open rather than closed or static. For instance, people (in Bangladesh) work to become higher valued persons by the measure of the social values reinforced by Islam, kinship relationality, and patriarchy. These values regulate the relations between family and the larger community as well as help structure the labour process in the factory. Therefore, I will highlight how the human subject, i.e. the worker in the factory, lived in the given place and time (inside and outside the factory) that has been incorporated in the cycle of the global capital accumulation process.