Review
 Frans Barker          (1999) The South African Labour Market:
                       critical issues for renaissance. Pretoria: J L
                       Van Schaik.
 Charles Crothers
 This is the third edition of a now well-established standard source, and one
 without obvious rivals, apart from rather less systematic material published
 by the Trade Union Research Project (TURP). Its purpose remains the
 provision of an overview of the South African labour market: its
 characteristics, how it works, how it is changing and issues and problems.
 The book has much institutional description (including summaries of
 appropriate laws and policies), much useful descriptive statistical material,
 and short excerpts from economic theory about the relationships which are
thought to govern the operation of the labour market. A good point is the
clear and concise discussions about the measurement of various key
concepts and data-sources.
    The book covers labour supply, labour demand, wage determination and
productivity, unemployment, human capital, discrimination in the workplace
and various of the key collective actors in the labour market. Its particular
thrust is to move attention away from what the book portrays as a more
traditional South African focus only on the protection of basic worker
rights to the current arena of debate in which, the role of the labour market
in the encouragement or limitation of economic growth becomes the major
concern. To point up this newer focus, the subtitle referring to the African
renaissance is included, although — puzzlingly — his is not actually a topic
which is visited in the book itself.
   The developments since the 1992 edition which receive Pttention in this
version include the advent ofthe new democratic government, the increasing
effects of globalisation, rising rates of unemployment and new labour
legislation including the Conditions of Employment Act and the
Employment Equity Act. It also includes the 1996 census data and 1995
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Charles Crothers
OHS information, as well as the 1996 ILO report on the South African
Labour market. Not surprisingly, this source is extensively drawn upon.
    In terms of presentation, this is a sophisticated, user-friendly new-age
text, which deserves widespread emulation. The text is clearly laid-out, and
well illustrated. There is an extensive bibliography and helpful references
are made to appropriate web-sites.
    The major limitation of the book is its concentration on description and
low-level commentary at the expense of a more theoretical and inter-
disciplinary treatment. In some ways such a criticism is unfair as the book
does not try to do anything more. But, it would not have extended the size
of the book much to provide a more far-reaching theoretical discussion. In
its theoretical inserts, the book adopts a resolutely neo-classical economic
stance, although this is moderated by reference to appropriate empirical
studies. But there is no hint of alternative Marxian approaches, nor any
systematic recourse to industrial sociology or industrial psychology.
Important sociological work of Eddie Webster's Sociology of Work Unit,
 let alone the more trade union-orientated TURP are not cited, nor is there
 any hint that such works have influenced the writer. The book is resolutely
unpopulated by any flesh and blood people. They do not appear to work in
 firms (or be involved in other work-related organisations: although trade
 unions are briefly covered) or come from households and communities.
 Given the continuing structuring of the labour market by features inherited
 from South Africa's recent apartheid system, it would have been appropriate
 to have directly confronted the issues which arise.
     In sum, although this is a useful reference source, it remains at a fairly
 unsophisticated level. For adequate understanding of the S ALM the material
 provided must be framed by discussion and theoretical resources which
 come from a wider range of perspectives.
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