Work and globalization : new and old challenges for workers and the social science

Abstract

In this introduction, we discuss the dossier's proposal in light of the received and approved articles. Specifically, we delineate a common thread connecting the texts, organized sectorally. Starting with discussions centered on industry and factory workers, unionized and with broad international connections, we transition to the national context and platformized jobs, increasingly common worldwide. We analyze how the texts collectively indicate the spread of precarity logic to established sectors. Subsequently, we offer insights on the final article, which highlights the controversial effects of a globalization that reproduces agrarian exploitation patterns in the marble sector. We conclude this introduction by prompting readers to reflect on the necessity of work in the contemporary world, suggesting a role not only analytical but also one of participation and political intervention for social scientists.