Heteromation, and other stories of computing and capitalism. By Hamid R. EKBIA and Bonnie A. NARDI

• Published date: 01 December 2017
• Author: Janine Berg
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12081
• Date: 01 December 2017

International Labour Review

553

sent the interests of few, there have been wider grass-roots social movements or struggles

in the country, which have evolved with the need of the hour – land grabs, privatization,

social discrimination, etc. The authors argue that the shape of the class struggle should

be different for dalits and adivasis, as the struggle for land and forest rights is as import-

ant to them as the struggle for labour rights.

Obviously, not all issues could be covered, but given the current debate on cli-

mate change, which affects these workers much more directly through the depletion of

natural resources, it is a pity the book does not engage on this issue. This becomes even

more signicant when one connects the aspirations of the younger generations and the

phenomenon of climate change, as the young are increasingly attracted to cities and the

consumer economy. Indeed, as climate change gradually takes centre stage, the role of

indigenous peoples in climate action – through traditional knowledge and management

of natural resources, and resilient agricultural practices – becomes important. Yet while

all this knowledge is being lost due to impoverishment and migration, and as aspirations

change and evolve with integration into the market economy, to what extent are groups

like the dalits and adivasis interested in managing natural resources? Might there be

more of an opportunity to shape their aspirations once well-paying “green jobs” are cre-

ated? This issue probably requires further exploration in a sequel to this volume.

Ground down by growth is undoubtedly a high quality contribution to the eld of

anthropological research. It shows how the benets of economic growth are failing to

reach the most vulnerable groups, dalits and adivasis, under India’s neoliberal regime,

thereby exacerbating their impoverishment and marginalization and leaving them at

the lowest echelons of society. We would recommend that students, scholars and policy-

makers working on India should read this book to gain a better understanding of the

country’s economic, social and political landscape, and of the challenges that would need

to be overcome to ensure truly inclusive social processes.

Uma Rani and Rishabh Kumar Dhir

ILO Research Department and Gender,

Equality and Diversity Branch

Heteromation, and other stories of computing and capitalism.

By Hamid R. EKBIA and Bonnie A. NARDI. Cambridge, MA, MIT Press, 2017.

xiv + 280 pp. ISBN 978-0262036252.

In May 2015, Gabriela Rojas-Lozano led a class action lawsuit in the state of

Massachusetts against Google alleging that Google was crowdsourcing transcription

of Google Maps and other information without paying users, through its use of “re-

CAPTCHAS”, the codes that websites ask users to input when logging in. While in the

rst instance users are establishing their identity as persons, the second image displayed

was alleged to be unnecessary for security needs and merely a transcription done for

Google’s commercial benet. Moreover, it was alleged that Google had not disclosed

to its users that it was proting from their time and effort.1 A similar legal case that ap-

peared before United States courts was brought by Yelp reviewers alleging they were

entitled to the minimum wage for time spent writing customer reviews. Neither of these

1 Rojas-Lozano v. Google, Inc., 15-cv-10160-MGM (District MA. Jan. 22, 2015).

RIT 10 Book Review E.indd 553 12.02.18 14:18