Third ISA Forum of Sociology (July 10-14, 2016)

114

Globalization, New Forms of Work and Inequality

RC09 Social Transformations and Sociology of Development (host committee)

Language: English

The incessant requirements of companies to respond more competitively to the challenges of a global economy have triggered major changes in the structure, organization and logic of work. In an effort to adapt their economic activities to different markets, companies have relocated or turned to offshoring their production, implemented new cycles or seasonal activities, and dealt with the constant fluctuations in business volumes and flows.
Thus, new forms of labor have emerged, such as working in different seasons or cycles, the installation of new working hours, telecommuting and subcontract work for multiple companies. Traditional forms of work are being replaced by new procedures which have produced an exacerbation of labor flexibility. This flexibility has led in turn to increased job insecurity and precarity, as reflected in the emergence of partial, unstable, and informal jobs, with irregular salaries and a significant marginalization of social security. 
This session will address these issues and especially the relationship between globalization, new ways of working and inequality. We will discuss such questions as: What new job forms and structures do we face today, in a context of globalization and increased competition? How are the requirements of economic activities, transforming labor dynamics? Which work flexibilities could be behind these changes? Which regulations exist or are absent in these new forms of work? How are globalization and labor flexibility related to the generation of inequalities?
Papers based on empirical case studies with an analytical framework using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods are welcome. Comparative analyses are encouraged. Posters: