Conference: Work and Democracy

How should democracies understand and organize work? The world of work in Western democracies is undergoing rapid changes, and as a result, the topic of work is making a comeback in philosophy. The use of digital technologies and legal changes threaten to erode the regular work contract and the security and benefits it had offered. Worldwide migration leaves its mark on labor markets while the latter at the same time co-shape the former. At the same time, the (often gendered) question about the relation between paid and unpaid work, e.g., family work, remains an open issue, with repercussions for democratic participation. This conference aims at exploring the relation between democracy and the organization of work: What does it mean for the stability and flourishing of democratic life if the world of work changes? What normative requirements on the organization of work can be derived from key democratic values such as equal respect and fair treatment, and from the need for individuals to develop sufficient capacities for democratic citizenship? 

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