*Looks at the economic trends impacting Asian women and subcontracted labor, illuminating the lives of the millions of women struggling in low-wage jobs *Presents case studies from Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and India *Provides examples of strategic responses from NGOs, unions, and activists The Hidden Assembly Line studies the impact of subcontracted work in different national settings, linking it to the global economy and to changes in women's financial security and work opportunities. The contributors debate the implications for women's empowerment and for the changing so