5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

At the dawn of the 21st century, numerous transformations have led to significant changes in the realm of work and social relationships. These include the growing integration of ICTs into labor processes, the reshaping of productive times and spaces, and the evolving roles of different actors in regulating social conflicts amidst rising inequalities. Such shifts underscore at least three interlinked dimensions: changes in labor processes, digitalization of social relations, and the role of emotions as a core component of workers' experiences. We are navigating a globalized social system where emotions are produced, managed, and sold, shaping specific times and spaces and redefining the meaning, role, and scope of labor. This session aims to explore the interconnections between these three dimensions: work, emotions and digitalization of life. Possible paper topics include digital labor and emotions, changes in labor legislation and their effects on work and emotions, the interplay of social policies, work, and emotions, the use of fear and sadness to manage workplace conflicts, emotions and collective action amidst work transformations, emotional labor in precarious job contexts, the commodification of emotions in labor processes, collaborative work and new productive frontiers, and the relationship between reproductive work, emotions, and new work times and spaces