The Politics of Working Life and Meaningful Waged Work

Knut Laaser and Jan Ch. Karlsson's novel theory of meaningful work is rooted in Critical Social Science approaches and challenges the tendency to promote unpolitical concepts. It is illustrated by empirical case studies on Norwegian industry operators, British bank employees, Indian security guards, German university academics, and Swedish cabin crew members.

Format: Hardback
Length: 250 pages
Publication date: 16 November 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Under capitalism, can waged work be meaningful? How does this meaningfulness manifest itself in the politics of working life? More fundamentally, how should work be socially and economically valued, rewarded, organized, and regulated to become more meaningful?

Knut Laaser and Jan Ch. Karlsson address these critical questions and present a novel theory of meaningful work that is firmly rooted in Critical Social Science approaches. The authors define meaningful work as a continuum that spans from meaningful–meaningless work, grounded in objective and subjective dimensions of autonomy, dignity, and recognition. These dimensions are influenced and shaped by the complex interplay of control and power dynamics inherent in waged work.

The authors challenge the prevailing tendency to promote unpolitical concepts in the scholarship of meaningful work. They argue that meaningful work cannot be reduced to individual choices or subjective experiences alone. Instead, it is intricately linked to the broader social, economic, and political structures that shape our working lives.

To illustrate the explanatory power of the meaningful work framework, the authors analyze empirical case studies involving Norwegian industry operators, British bank employees, Indian security guards, German university academics, and Swedish cabin crew members. These case studies provide concrete examples of how the dimensions of meaningful work can be observed and evaluated in different contexts.

Through their analysis, the authors demonstrate how meaningful work can contribute to individual well-being, social cohesion, and economic development. They highlight the importance of recognizing and valuing work that aligns with workers' values, interests, and skills, while also promoting fair and equitable compensation and working conditions.

The meaningful work framework offers a valuable lens for understanding and addressing the challenges faced by workers in the contemporary world. It challenges the notion that work is solely a means of economic production and emphasizes the importance of recognizing the subjective and social dimensions of work that shape our experiences and identities.

In conclusion, waged work under capitalism can be meaningful, and the authors' theory provides a framework for understanding how this meaningfulness can be expressed and promoted. By recognizing the complex power dynamics at play in waged work, we can work towards creating more equitable and fulfilling working lives for all.

Weight: 652g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009098571