States' Gains, Labor's Losses: China, France, and Mexico Choose Global Liaisons, 1980?000

Since 1980, says Solinger (political science, U. of California-Irvine) the global stage has been an arena for struggle between workers, states, and economically oriented supranational organizations such as the European Union and the World Trade Organization, and the smart money has been on the supranational dominate hands down. She traces the changing inter-relationships between the three in case studies of very different countries during periods that saw foundational shifts in the place granted, the deferences accorded, and the power wielded by each of the combatants. Her perspectives include the state championing labor against the world, global forces versus states and workers, and labor against the state and global forces; her conclusion is that the situation is not as clear-cut as some analysts like to claim. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)