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Dying for an iPhone : Apple, Foxconn, and the lives of China's workers

Research output: Scholarly Books | Reports | Literary WorksBook (Author)peer-review

Abstract

Suicides, excessive overtime, hostility and violence on the factory floor in China. Drawing on vivid testimonies from rural migrant workers, student interns, managers and trade union staff, Dying for an iPhone is a devastating expose of two of the world's most powerful companies: Foxconn and Apple.

As the leading manufacturer of iPhones, iPads and Kindles, and employing one million workers in China alone, Taiwanese-invested Foxconn's drive to dominate global electronics manufacturing has aligned perfectly with China's goal of becoming the world leader in technology. This book reveals the human cost of that ambition and what our demands for the newest and best technology mean for workers.

Foxconn workers have repeatedly demonstrated their power to strike at key nodes of transnational production, challenge management and the Chinese state, and confront global tech behemoths. Dying for an iPhone allows us to assess the impact of global capitalism's deepening crisis on workers.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationChicago
PublisherPluto Press
Number of pages277
ISBN (Electronic)9781786806253
ISBN (Print)9780745341293, 9780745341286
Publication statusPublished - 20 Jun 2020
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Jenny Chan, Mark Selden, and Pun Ngai.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
  2. SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
    SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
  3. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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