Dennis Arnold is a geographical political economist whose main interests are labor & migration, the global garment industry, and states’ spatial practices. He is currently doing research in Cambodia, Myanmar and Naples, Italy, and has previously worked in Thailand and Vietnam. He is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies. He completed his PhD in Geography at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2010).

His academic work has been intertwined with labor rights activism and organizations, which (formally) began with positions as International Coordinator for the Thai Labour Campaign (2003-2006), and Researcher with the Asian TNC Monitoring Network (2003-2006). His years of work as itinerate construction worker, fishing boat laborer, data entry temp, traveling salesman, etc (1994-2003) (informally) informs his current intersts in labor, migration and consent to exploitation in contemporary capitalism.

Dennis is member of the editorial board of Critical Asian Studies and European Journal of East Asian Studies. He has completed consultancy research reports for international NGOs in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015 and 2017.

Monograph

Arnold, Dennis (2007) Capital Expansion and Migrant Workers: Flexible Labor in the Thai-Burma Border Economy, Nakornpathorn, Thailand: Mahidol University, Human Rights in Asia Series.

Journal articles

Arnold, Dennis and Stephen Campbell (2018) Capitalist Trajectories in Mekong Southeast Asia. European Journal of East Asian Studies, 17:181-191. (Special issue introduction). 

Arnold, Dennis (2017) Civil society, political society and politics of disorder in Cambodia. Political Geography, 60:23-33.

Arnold, Dennis and Martin Hess (2017) Governmentalizing Gramsci: Topologies of power and passive revolution in Cambodia’s garment production network, Environment and Planning A, 49(10):2183–2202.

Arnold, Dennis and Stephen Campbell (2017) Labour regime transformation in Myanmar: Constitutive processes of contestation. Development and Change, 48(4):801-824.

Arnold, Dennis (2013) “Social Margins and Precarious Work in Vietnam,” American Behavioral Scientist. 57(4):468-487.

Arnold, Dennis and Joseph Bongiovi (2013) “Precarious, Informalizing and Flexible Work: Transforming Concepts and Understandings,” American Behavioral Scientist. 57(3):289-308.

Arnold, Dennis (2012) “Spatial Practices and Border SEZs in Mekong Southeast Asia,” Geography Compass, 6(12):740-751.

Arnold, Dennis and John Pickles (2011) “Global Work, Surplus Labor, and the Precarious Economies of the Border,” Antipode, 43(5):1598-1624.

Arnold, Dennis and Toh Han Shih (2010) “A Fair Model of Globalisation? Labour and Global Production in Cambodia,” Journal of Contemporary Asia, 40(3):401-424.

Arnold, Dennis (2006) “Free Trade Agreements in Southeast Asia,” Journal of Contemporary Asia, 36(2):195-216.

Arnold, Dennis and Kevin Hewison (2005) “Exploitation in Global Supply Chains: Burmese Migrant Workers in Mae Sot, Thailand,” Journal of Contemporary Asia, 35(3):319-340.

Book chapters

Arnold, Dennis (2019) Migrants, mobilizations and selective hegemony in Mekong Asia's special economic zones, in J Breman et al (eds) The Social Question in the Twenty-first Century: A Global View. Oakland: University of California Press, pp. 77-97. Open access. 

Arnold, Dennis (2018) Labour geographies in a globalizing world, in R. Kloosterman, V. Mamadouh and P. Terhorst (Eds.) Handbook on the Geographies of Globalizations. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 187-196.

Arnold, Dennis and Dae-oup Chang (2017) “Trade unions and labor rights in Cambodia”, Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Cambodia, Katherine Brickell and Simon Springer (Eds), Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 191-201.

Arnold, Dennis (2017) “Labour Migration”, in Richardson, D. (Ed.) International Encyclopedia of Geography: People, the Earth, Environment, and Technology. Wiley Blackwell and Association of American Geographers

Arnold, Dennis (2017) “Export Processing Zones”, in Richardson, D. (Ed.) International Encyclopedia of Geography: People, the Earth, Environment, and Technology. Wiley Blackwell and Association of American Geographers.

Arnold, Dennis (2014) “Workers’ Agency and Power Relations in Cambodia’s Garment Industry,” in A. Luinstra, J. Pickles and A. Rossi, (Eds.) Toward Better Work: Understanding Labour in Global Supply Chains, London and Geneva: Palgrave Macmillan and International Labour Organization, pp. 212-231.

Arnold, Dennis (2013) “Burmese Social Movements in Exile: Labour, Migration and Democracy.” M. Ford (Ed.) Social Activism in Southeast Asia. London: Routledge, pp. 89-103.

Arnold, Dennis (2008) “Street Vendors, Factories and Family Workers: Informalising Labour in Cambodia,” in D. Lee, A. Leong, R. Ofreneo and A. Sukumaran (Eds.)  Asian Labour Law Review2008: Rights for Two-thirds of Asia, Hong Kong: Asia Monitor Resource Centre, pp. 107-124.  

Arnold, Dennis and Kevin Hewison (2006) “Exploitation in Global Supply Chains: Burmese Migrant Workers in Mae Sot, Thailand,” in Kevin Hewison and Ken Young (eds) Transnational Migration for Work, London: RoutledgeCurzon, pp. 314-339.

Arnold, Dennis (2006) “Toyota in Thailand: Capital and Labour in ‘Harmonious’ Globalised Production,” in Dae-oup Chang (ed.) Labour in Globalising Asian Corporations: A Portrait of Struggle, Hong Kong: Asian TNC Monitoring Network Book Series, pp. 215-246. 

• Chinese translation: Arnold, Dennis (2010) “豐田在泰國：全球化生產下的 「和諧」勞資關係', 劉念雲 譯,” in Dae-oup Chang (ed.) 全球化下的亞洲跨國企業勞工：抗爭的圖像, pp. 305-346. Taipei, Taiwan: 台灣社會研究雜誌社.

Arnold, Dennis (2006) “Samsung-Thailand: Avoiding Direct Capital-Labour Relations,” in Dae-oup Chang (ed.) Labour in Globalising Asian Corporations: A Portrait of Struggle, Hong Kong: Asian TNC Monitoring Network Book Series, pp. 131-152.

• Korean Translation: Arnold, Dennis (2008) “삼성타이: 직접적 노사관계의 회피” (Samsung Thai - Jikjeopjeuk Nosagwangyeoui Hoipi), in Dae-oup Chang (ed.) 아시아로 간 삼성(Asiaro gan Samsung / Samsung in Asia). Seoul, Korea: Humanitas, pp. 175-192. 
• Chinese translation: Arnold, Dennis (2010) “三星泰國公司：迴避直接的勞雇關係,” 劉珊伶 譯, in  Dae-oup Chang (ed.) 全球化下的亞洲跨國企業勞工：抗爭的圖像, pp. 189-218. Taipei, Taiwan: 台灣社會研究雜誌社.

Arnold, Dennis (2006) “Les Travailleurs Birmans Immigrés en Thaïlande (Burmese Migrant Workers in Thailand)," in Frédéric Delorca (ed) Atlas Alternatif: Le monde à l'heure de la globalisation impériale, Paris: Le Temps des Cerises, pp 340-351.

Arnold, Dennis (2005) “The Situation of Burmese Migrant Workers in Mae Sot, Thailand,” in Ed Shepherd and Dae-oup Chang (eds) ATNC Outlook 2004: Asian TNCs, Workers and the Movement of Capital, Hong Kong: Asia Monitor Resource Centre, pp. 287-330.

Arnold, Dennis (2005) “Attracting FDI through the Spread of Free Trade Agreements: Unravelling the Rationale and Impact on Labour Conditions in ASEAN,” in Ed Shepherd and Dae-oup Chang (eds) ATNC Outlook 2004: Asian TNCs, Workers and the Movement of Capital, Hong Kong: Asia Monitor Resource Centre, pp. 177-222.

Consultancy research reports

Arnold, Dennis (2017) "Political Space and Cambodia's Plantation Sector" Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond (National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands), unpublished consultancy report, 22pp.

Arnold, Dennis, with Veasna Nuon (2015) “Cambodia Context Analysis,” Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond (National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands), unpublished consultancy report, 73pp.

Arnold, Dennis and Soe Lin Aung (2011) “Exclusion to Visibility, Vulnerability to Voice: Informal Economy Workers in the Mekong Countries,” Oxfam Solidarity (Belgium), unpublished consultancy report, 50pp.

Arnold, Dennis (2008) “Review of Migrant Worker Program: Burmese Migrants in Thailand,” Norwegian Church Aid and Diakonia, unpublished consultancy report, June, 55pp.

Arnold, Dennis (2006) “Labour in Cambodia Post MFA,” Oxfam International Labour Group in Cambodia, unpublished consultancy report, July, 71pp.

Working papers

Arnold, Dennis (2013) “Workers’ agency and re-working power relations in Cambodia’s garment industry,” Capturing the Gains Working Paper 24, Manchester: Capturing the Gains and The University of Manchester.

Arnold, Dennis (2004) “The Situation of Burmese Migrant Workers in Mae Sot, Thailand,” Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong, Southeast Asia Research Centre, Working Papers Series, No. 71.

Other articles

Arnold, Dennis (2021) "Schnelle Mode, schneller Jobverlust", Südostasien: Zeitschrift für Politik, Kultur, Dialog.

Arnold, Dennis (2021) "Cambodia’s Garment Sector in Transformation: External Shocks, Political Space and Supplier Consolidation", Utrecht: Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond.

Arnold, Dennis (2019) "Peitsche und Zuckerbrot: Autoritarismus und Arbeiterbewegung", Südostasien: Zeitschrift für Politik, Kultur, Dialog. 

Arnold, Dennis (2013) “Better Work or ‘Ethical Fix’? Lessons from Cambodia’s Apparel Industry,” Global Labour Column, No. 155, Global Labour University, November.

Arnold, Dennis (2008) “Creating Precarity: Labour Law in Cambodia,” Asian Labour Update, No. 66-67 (January-June), Hong Kong, Asia Monitor Resource Centre.

Arnold, Dennis (2005) “The Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative and Labour Conditions in Thailand,” Asian Labour Update, No. 57 (October-December), Hong Kong: Asia Monitor Resource Centre.

Arnold, Dennis (2005) “Textile and Apparel Sourcing: The Complexity behind Low-Cost Labour in Supply Chains,” Asian Labour Update, No. 54 (January-March), Hong Kong: Asia Monitor Resource Centre.

Arnold, Dennis (2005) “The Exploitation of Burmese Migrant Workers in Global Supply Chains,” CSR Asia Weekly, Vol. 1 Week 27.  

Arnold, Dennis (2004) “Work, Rights and Discrimination against Burmese Migrant Workers in Thailand,” Asian Labour Update, No. 53 (October-December), Hong Kong: Asia Monitor Resource Centre.

Book reviews

Thailand’s Hidden Workforce: Burmese Migrant Women Factory Workers, Ruth Pearson and Kyoko Kusakabe (2014) in Journal of Contemporary Asia, 44(1):171-173.

On the Borders of State Power: Frontiers in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, Edited by Martin Gainsborough (2009) in Journal of Contemporary Asia, 2011, 41(4): 700-702.

Dennis' research focus is geo-political economy and development studies, with particular reference to global (garment) production networks, labor & migration, border special economic zones (and other spaces of 'development') and cross-border regionalization of Mekong Asia. 

The globalization of production has important implications for the kinds of work and positional power workers and communities may have. Dennis is interested in the new frontiers of globalized production created by the ever-expanding geographies of sourcing. This has implications for labor organizing, the effectiveness of factory and community-based monitoring campaigns, transparency in supply chains and the ability of other groups to press for workplace standards. 

Dennis studies state-society relations in increasingly authoritarian-liberal contexts and the implications for socio-economic rights & entitlements. He does so in newly industrializing countries that lack economic diversification and limited potential to 'transition' to a higher income future. Continental Southeast Asia is one such cross-border region that is governed through partial and irregular networks operating at multiple scales. Dennis utilizes border areas as case studies to understand localized spaces that, on the one hand, straddle and blur national boundaries through global connections, and on the other, redefine and reify borders, particularly in terms of flows of migrant labor and perceived geopolitical threats.

Dennis' NWO-VENI research project (2013-2016), Social Protections and Precarious Work in Continental Southeast Asian Borderlands, explored these topics in Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

He is currently part of two international research collaborations: an EU Horizon 2020 project, "Competing Regional Integrations in Southeast Asia" (2018-2020); and an Australian Research Council funded project, "Global Production Networks and Worker Representation in Myanmar" (2019-2021). 

More recently he has been researching migrants' exclusion from the urban body politic of Naples, Italy.