Skip down to main content

Birth of ENDL, the European Network on Digital Labour

Published on
9 Mar 2017
Written by
Mark Graham

From all over Europe, researchers in the emergent field of digital labour assembled in Paris for the launch event of ENDL, the European Network on Digital Labour.

Eighteen sociologists, economists, geographers, media scholars were in the French capital to participate in the European Network on Digital Labour kickoff workshop (ENDL-1). Convened by the SES Department of Telecom ParisTech (unit of the Interdisciplinary institute for innovation i3), the meeting took place at the Maison Internationale on Februrary 21, 2017.

 

ENDL-1 participants

Jamie Woodcock (@jamie_woodcock)

  • Sociologist, currently at LSE, London.
  • Ethnography research on practices of resistance.
  • Published a book on work in call centers, and is currently researching workers’ activism at Deliveroo and Twitch.

Camille Alloing (@CaddeReputation)

Kylie Jarrett (@kylzjarrett)

Marie-Anne Dujarier

Sébastien Broca

Gina Neff (@ginasue)

Ursula Huws (@COSTIS1202)

Patricia Vendramin

Yann Moulier-Boutang (@boutangyann)

Nikos Smyrnaios (@smykos)

Sarah Abdelnour

Jen Schradie (@schradie)

Antonio Casilli (@AntonioCasilli)

Mark Graham (@geoplace)

  • Economic geographer, at the Oxford Internet Institute.
  • Studies the gig economy in the Global South.
  • Writes about global networks of solidarity, competition and collaboration between workers.

Paola Tubaro (@ptubaro)

Karen Gregory (@claudiakincaid)

  • Sociologist at the University of Edinburgh, where she teaches and researches digital sociology.
  • Studies emotional labor and entrepreneurialism.
  • Research on forms of solidarity in the ‘sharing economy’.

Remote ENDL-1 participants

Tiziana Terranova (@synthesiastica)

Carlo Vercellone

 

ENDL is an academic network to share ideas and awareness of a range of different theoretical, epistemological and empirical approaches to the topic of work, employment, and conflict in the digital economy. Participants operate collectively to give more visibility to the field of digital labour: meetings, conferences, projects, joint publications.

ENDL also aims at provide theoretical clarifications as to the multiple definitions and nuances of the notions of “digital labour”, “virtual work”, “consumer work”, “affective labour”, “free labour” etc. A number of concrete resources have been implemented as a result of the workshop. A repository of literature and references (through a Zotero working group), a shared document to develop a glossary of relevant terms (on Framapad), and a mindmap of areas of research in the field. Participants are invited to contribute in the weeks to come, and to diffuse the results to their colleagues and students.

The Maison Internationale in Paris, venue of the 1st ENDL workshop (Feb. 21, 2017)

The Maison Internationale in Paris, venue of the 1st ENDL workshop (Feb. 21, 2017)

Participants of the 1st ENDL workshop (Feb. 21, 2017)

Participants of the 1st ENDL workshop (Feb. 21, 2017)

The network is open to academics and non-academics interested in helping advance the ENDL research agenda. Participants to this first workshop form a core of researchers actively working to recruit more participants and to consolidate the field. In this perspective, some activities will be undertaken jointly. Members will also work to develop smaller-scale initiatives at local level.

Local events are already scheduled: a London Digital Labour meetup (March 30, 2017), and two Paris conferences in April featuring invited speakers Sarah T. Roberts (UCLA) and Mary L. Gray (Microsoft research) (more information to come soon). Further meetings will be held in future, to share research ideas and results, and to discuss further actions. An ENDL-2 workshop is planned in autumn 2017 at the University of Edinburgh (to be confirmed).

A Twitter account (@ENDL_Official) is in place. A mailing list has also being created to share upcoming event inormation and discuss future directions. The mailing list welcomes academics and members of the general public interested in work, digital platforms, media, and related topics.

Related Topics