Uneven Development in the Digital Economy: The New Landscape of Transnational Social Protections
This paper explores the role of digital platforms in reshaping global economic geography and uneven development through two case studies on transnational social protections for highly skilled migrants in Mexico and gig/remote workers in Canada. The first case study examines 30 skilled Mexican migrants who live in Canada or the United States and engaged in remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid expansion of remote work allowed these professionals living and working abroad to return to Mexico during COVID-19, fostering transnational capital accumulation and cultivating "transnational social protections" (Levitt, Mueller, & Lloyd, 2017) while maintaining their employment abroad. This shift reflects a broader trend where remote work enabled individuals to engage in cross-border economic activities, yet also exacerbates existing inequalities, as not all workers have equal access to these opportunities.
The second case study focuses on 24 interviews with immigrant gig workers in Canada, who turn to platform economies due to barriers like credential recognition and local work experience. While digital platforms provide these workers with new income-generating opportunities, they also expose them to precarity and a lack of social protections. This case demonstrates how the platformization of labor markets deepens global inequalities, particularly for marginalized workers who lack the resources and protections offered in more formal employment sectors. This has resulted in a decreased value of citizenship for immigrant populations, as they have less access to the social protections by partaking in the gig economy.
By examining how transnational social protections intersect with digital platform economies, this paper addresses key questions around the reshaping of global power, labor markets, and uneven development in the context of digital globalization.