Anthropology Working Papers: 'Labour of Luck: Filipino Workers in Integrated Casino Resorts in Macau and Singapore'
Event Details
- Date:
- Thursday, 21 September 2017
- Time:
- 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Room:
- 443
- UQ Location:
- Michie Building (St Lucia)
- URL:
- https://social-science.uq.edu.au/event/966/anthropology-working-papers
- Event category(s):
Event Contact
- Name:
- Miss Amelia Radke
- Phone:
- (07) 3365 3236
- Email:
- a.radke@uq.edu.au
- Org. Unit:
- Social Science
Event Description
- Full Description:
- Dr Juan Zhang, School of Social Science, University of Queensland
Title: Labour of Luck: Filipino Workers in Integrated Casino Resorts in Macau and Singapore
Abstract:
This paper examines transnational skilled migration and employment as young Filipino workers cross borders to become “labour of luck” in integrated casino resorts in Macau and Singapore. Based on fieldwork in these two casino destinations, this paper engages with the notion of luck and discusses how luck is interpreted and experienced by Filipino resort workers in diverse ways. Employment, upward career and social mobility, trans‐border migration all point to a matter of “luck” when young Filipinos deal with complex issues of contractual employment, labour market insecurity, and the rights to residence. As desirable workers who are fresh, trainable, compliant, energetic, cheap, and willing to move or be moved around, young Filipino workers constitute a large proportion of the casino resort workforce in Macau and Singapore. Many migrate from one country to the next, moving from one job to another, often without stability, welfare, or a sense of career security. They are invariably exposed to heightened risk of exploitation, neglect, and exclusion. However, many continue to put faith in luck, believing that with flexibility, resilience, and good fortune they are able to always find work and opportunity. Their “luck” is closely tied to the speculative development of the Asian casino capitalism and the changing conditions of the labour regime in different destinations. Turning themselves into labour of luck, young Filipino workers wager their future on casino capitalism with all its promised opportunities and unspoken precariousness.
Directions to UQ
- Google Map:
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- Directions:
- St Lucia Campus | Gatton campus.
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