The journal Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research announces a call for abstracts for aspecial issue on Economy 4.0 – The digitalization of labor from a gender perspective, edited by Annette von Aleman, Julia Gruhlich, Ilona Horwath, and Lena Weber.
Technological innovations have always been discussed as a catalyst for social innovation. Thediscussion about the “4th Industrial Revolution” (also known as “economy 4.0″ or”digitalization of work”) is not an exception here. Many assume that the smart technologies,automation, robotics, cyber-physical systems, cloud- and crowd work are fundamentallytransforming the organization of professions, work, working conditions, and the structure ofthe labor market. Additionally, the increasing use of cell phones, computers, and data cloudscontributes to the blurring of traditional boundaries between private and professional life. Sofar, however, we know little about the social changes triggered by the new technologicaldevelopments – this applies in particular to its impact on gender relations, which areconnected to the division of public and private spheres. Current discussions on the digitaltransformation of work take place at the interface between the social sciences, economics andengineering, and they usually focus on male-dominated industrial sectors as well assupposedly disembodied and allegedly gender-neutral occupations. Feminist research hasshown, however, that such approaches tend to disguise inequalities related to gender, race, andclass, as well as the mechanisms which support them.
Abstracts can be submitted until June 30, 2019. More information can be found in the full Call for Abstracts.