Philosophers of the World Unite! Theorizing Digital Labour and Virtual Work: Definitions, Forms and Transformations

Citation

Sandoval M (Editor), Fuchs C (Editor), Prodnik JA (Editor), Sevignani S (Editor) & Allmer T (Editor) (2014) Philosophers of the World Unite! Theorizing Digital Labour and Virtual Work: Definitions, Forms and Transformations. tripleC: Communication, Capitalism and Critique, 12 (2), pp. 464-801. https://doi.org/10.31269/triplec.v12i2.631

Abstract
This special issue of tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique aims to contribute to building a theoretical framework for the critical analysis of digital labour, virtual work, and related concepts that can initiate further debates, inform empirical studies, and inspire social struggles connected to work and labour in and beyond digital capitalism. The papers collected in this special issue (a) provide systematic definitions of digital labour, (b) analyse its specific dimension, and (c) discuss different forms of digital labour. Theorising digital labour, as labour that produces or makes use of digital technologies, can help to understand its problems, limits, potentials, and contradictions. It can therefore highlight the need for social change and inspire political action. However, the act of freeing digital technology from being an instrument for the domination of labour requires to go beyond just interpreting the world and to engage in social struggles that want to change it. Acknowledgement: This special issue has been published in the context of the EU COST Action IS1202 Dynamics of Virtual Work, http://dynamicsofvirtualwork.com/

Keywords
digital labour; virtual work; Marxist theory; Marxist political economy of media; communication; internet; digital media;

Journal
tripleC: Communication, Capitalism and Critique: Volume 12, Issue 2