African digital labour and contemporary global capitalism

In discussions about the locations that make up the key productive nodes of the global digital economy, African workers rarely get a mention. Autonomous vehicles, machine learning systems, next-generation search engines and recommendations systems: how many of these technologies are ‘made… Continue Reading

Digital Labour at Economic Margins: African Workers and the Global Information Economy. (Forthcoming Publication)

I have a new publication coming out soon in the Review of African Political Economy, with my colleague Mark Graham. The paper is based on the research we have been carrying out over a number of years in Africa. It… Continue Reading

New Article: Does economic upgrading lead to social upgrading in contact centers? Evidence from South Africa.

Mark Graham and I have just published a new article in the African Geographical Review. The article’s main argument is that economic upgrading in the South African BPO industry can lead to both social upgrading and downgrading among contact centre… Continue Reading

New article – The Global Gig Economy: Towards a Planetary Labour Market?

Amir Anwar and I have a new article out in First Monday. The piece think through what a planetary labour market entails, how it is relationally, spatially, and discursively constructed, and who it benefits. I’m pasting the abstract and conclusions… Continue Reading

Three visions for how information and communication technologies alter positionalities at global economic margins

I’m currently working on a book chapter about our ‘digital labour and gig economy‘ research. The chapter attempts to contextualise plans and projects to expand digital labour schemes by governments, third-sector organisations, and private sector actors. In writing the chapter, I thought it… Continue Reading

The UK Government’s consultation on employment classification and control: a response

A response to the UK Government’s consultation on employment classification and control. Wood A.J and Graham M (2018) The government consultation on employment classification and control a response The UK government is currently undertaking a consultation on employment status. One element… Continue Reading