Feminist explorations of Value: From informal traders to global finance capital
Project years: 2016 – 2020
The thesis relies upon theoretical and empirical resources to explore the concept of value. Theoretical frameworks are rooted in Marxist perspectives and grounded in the field of feminist political economy. The empirical section of this thesis delves into the working lives of neighbourhood traders in Delhi, India. After the first round of fieldwork, conducted between December 2017 and February 2018, it became apparent that while they remain within the informal sector, they are also deeply embedded within the fast-changing paradigm of finance capital through self-help groups and micro-finance. In addition, the recent drive of the Indian state to demonetize and construct a cashless economy poses new challenges to the everyday working lives of neighbourhood traders.