About the book
An accessible analysis of the new forms of work whose seismic changes will increasingly determine the future of capitalism
Automation and the decline in industrial employment have lead to rising fears of a workless future. But what happens when your work itself is the thing that will make your job obsolete?
In the past few years, online crowdworking platforms - like Amazon's Mechanical Turk and Clickworker - have become an increasingly important source of work, particularly for those in the Global South. Here, small tasks are assigned to people online, and are often used to train algorithms to spot patterns, patterns through machine learning those same algorithms will then be able to spot more effectively than humans. Used for everything from the mechanics of self-driving cars to Google image search, this is an increasingly powerful part of the digital ecomomy. But what happens to work when it makes itself obsolete. In this stimulating work that blends political economy, studies of contemporary work, and speculations on the future of capitalism, Phil Jones looks at what this often murky and hidden form of labour looks like, and what it says about the state of global capitalism.
Editions of Work Without the Worker
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781839760433
- EBook
- ISBN 9781839760464
Read an Excerpt
An accessible analysis of the new forms of work whose seismic changes will increasingly determine the future of capitalism
Automation and the decline in industrial employment have lead to rising fears of a workless future. But what happens when your work itself is the thing that will make your job obsolete?
In the past few years, online crowdworking platforms - like Amazon's Mechanical Turk and Clickworker - have become an increasingly important source of work, particularly for those in the Global South. Here, small tasks are assigned to people online, and are often used to train algorithms to spot patterns, patterns through machine learning those same algorithms will then be able to spot more effectively than humans. Used for everything from the mechanics of self-driving cars to Google image search, this is an increasingly powerful part of the digital ecomomy. But what happens to work when it makes itself obsolete. In this stimulating work that blends political economy, studies of contemporary work, and speculations on the future of capitalism, Phil Jones looks at what this often murky and hidden form of labour looks like, and what it says about the state of global capitalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Work Without the Worker about?
An accessible analysis of the new forms of work whose seismic changes will increasingly determine the future of capitalism
Automation and the decline in industrial employment have lead to rising fears of a workless future. But what happens when your work itself is the thing that will make your job obsolete?
In the past few years, online crowdworking platforms - like Amazon's Mechanical Turk and Clickworker - have become an increasingly important source of work, particularly for those in the Global South. Here, small tasks are assigned to people online, and are often used to train algorithms to spot patterns, patterns through machine learning those same algorithms will then be able to spot more effectively than humans. Used for everything from the mechanics of self-driving cars to Google image search, this is an increasingly powerful part of the digital ecomomy. But what happens to work when it makes itself obsolete. In this stimulating work that blends political economy, studies of contemporary work, and speculations on the future of capitalism, Phil Jones looks at what this often murky and hidden form of labour looks like, and what it says about the state of global capitalism.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Work Without the Worker?
Economics, Finance, Business and Management > Industry and industrial studies > Industrial relations, occupational health and safety > Industrial arbitration and negotiation
Where can I read a sample of Work Without the Worker?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781839760433
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Work Without the Worker?
Phil Jones
Who is the Publisher of the book Work Without the Worker?
Verso Books
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Work Without the Worker is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781839760433) and ebook(ISBN 9781839760464)
Where can I buy Work Without the Worker online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Work Without the Worker from below
Where can I buy Work Without the Worker?