THE SOUTHERN CENTRE FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES

 

THE POLITICS OF UNPAID LABOUR IN THE DIGITAL AGE

PROF.SSA VALERIA PULIGNANO, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE - UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN

 

This presentation explores a theory on the politics of unpaid labour, offering new insights into inequality in precarious work. It tackles how these inequalities are tied to stigma and the rise of insecure jobs shaped by labour market reforms and technological shifts. The theory connects the small-scale aspects of social life with the larger structural patterns of society. On one hand, it looks at the motivations and meanings behind unpaid work in uncertain employment situations; on the other, it examines strategies for building resilience by sustaining unpaid labour through family resources—private, social, and financial—as well as support from state and institutional frameworks. Based on in-depth research comparing unpaid labour in creative dance, residential care, and online freelancing across Europe, the theory adds to the conversation in three ways: it redefines unpaid labour by clarifying the differences between employment and self-employment; it shows how unpaid work both reflects and reinforces class structures; and it stresses the need for labour markets that truly support and value the diversity of human skills and contributions.

 

GIOVEDÌ 14 MAGGIO 2026 | 15.00-17.00

SOUTHERN CENTRE FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, SECOND FLOOR, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, VICO MONTE DI PIETÀ 1, NAPOLI