LLP Seminar Series: The Critical Citizen?: Tim Christiaens, 'Becoming your own boss in the gig economy, a story of disappointment'

The Language, Literature and Politics (LLP) research group's seminar series on ‘The Critical Citizen?’ presents Dr Tim Christiaens on how the algorithmic domination of labour limits worker autonomy and which institutions the critical citizen could use to enhance autonomy.

Register for 'Becoming your own boss in the gig economy' on Eventbrite.

About the talk

Labour platform companies like Uber and Deliveroo often attract workers with promises of workplace autonomy absent in most low-pay jobs. Instead of working for a boss, workers can allegedly work with platform companies to establish their own little businesses. Hereby, platform companies purportedly accommodate workers' critiques of domination at work. Unfortunately, the reality is often far removed from this initial promise. Domination has not disappeared but has become automated via digital technology.

In this presentation, Dr Christiaens will discuss how the algorithmic domination of labour limits worker autonomy and which institutions the critical citizen could use to enhance autonomy.

This event will be held online via Microsoft Teams. If you have any accessibility requirements please contact Alice Rhodes (alice.rhodes@open.ac.uk).

About 'The Critical Citizen' series

Responding to the widespread cynicism, disengagement and alienation citizens across the globe express towards official political cultures, this series investigates the idea of ‘the critical citizen’. What constitutes a critical citizen? And can a critical citizenry be (re-) activated as an antidote to contemporary political crises?

More information on the Language, Literature and Politics Research Group can be found on the FASS website.