The Gig Economy and the Future of Work: Context and Policy Responses

Summary

This course will explore the contemporary extent and role of gig economy work, its historical antecedents, and other forms of nonstandard and precarious work. We will examine the popular appeal of “gig work” in the context of declining living standards and eroding job quality. Consideration will also be given to broader debates about the “future of work,” technology, automation, growing corporate power over the economy, and policy responses to the gig economy and precarious work. The course will analyze the gig economy in various dimensions, including work, labor markets, economic relations, and state and corporate power.