Join the lecture: The Human costs of caring
Prof. Rai is Distinguished Research Professor at SOAS (University of London) and a Fellow of the British Academy. Her latest book is Depletion: The Human costs of caring (2024, OUP) which was awarded the Susan Strange Best Book Prize by the British International Studies Association in 2025.
In this lecture Professor Rai examines the human costs of caring based upon her recent book and how these are reproduced across the boundaries of class, caste, race and gender as well as across generations. She explores the multiple facets of social reproductive work and how its undervaluing is not just a theoretical gap in our knowledge, but also a cost to those who perform this often unpaid and poorly paid work. Based upon this analysis, she reimagines care and outlines several strategies to reduce harm and reorganize care.
For questions regarding the event contact Professor Hanna Marlene Dahl: hmdahl@ruc.dk