97284 - Sociology of Economic and Labor Transformations

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes - At the end of the course the student: - possesses knowledge and analytical skills with respect to the most recent transformations of the production system, the governance of labor and its main regulatory forms, the employment system, the characteristics of the emerging production sectors, the training needs, the social criticalities related to them.

Course contents

The course examines the major transformations of contemporary labour arising from the processes of digitalisation, platformisation, and the diffusion of artificial intelligence that are reshaping contemporary capitalism. Its main objective is to understand how these transformations are reconfiguring not only the organisation of production, but also forms of social cooperation, managerial control, workers' subjectivities, and labour conflict.

Particular attention will be devoted to the emergence of the platform economy, new forms of algorithmic governance of labour, and automation processes that increasingly affect manufacturing and service sectors. Through the discussion of empirical case studies, the course will analyse platform labour, ghost work, algorithmic management of the workforce, cognitive automation, data production and extraction as new sources of value, and the transformation of cultural and creative industries.

Artificial intelligence will be examined not merely as a technological innovation but as a social, economic, and political infrastructure capable of reshaping the relationship between capital and labour, decision-making processes, managerial power, and contemporary inequalities. The course will critically compare the main theoretical approaches to artificial intelligence, discussing both perspectives that interpret AI as an intensification of capitalist exploitation and those that emphasise its potential to redefine cooperation, knowledge production, and value creation.

Finally, the course will investigate emerging forms of resistance, collective organisation, and labour struggles within platform capitalism, paying particular attention to contributions from critical labour sociology, theories of social reproduction, and contemporary feminist scholarship.

Readings/Bibliography

Gent, C. (2024). Cyberboss. The Rise of Algorithmic Management and the New Struggle for Control at Work, Verso, London.

Ricciardi, A. (2025). La macchina Netflix. Algoritmi, estetica e politica delle piattaforme, ombre corte, Verona.

Additional readings may be provided to attending students. Students may, subject to prior agreement with the lecturer, replace parts of the texts listed above with individual proposals for further study.

Teaching methods

The course is primarily based on the instructor’s lectures. However, a significant portion will be structured to encourage in-class discussion and the formation of working groups, which will support a deeper exploration of the course topics. Critical discussion sessions will also be organized—that is, opportunities for students to engage in structured exchanges between different viewpoints on specific issues (e.g., “Does AI reproduce or transform exploitation?”). Students will prepare short critical notes to support their arguments. Lastly, group project presentations in class will contribute to the student’s overall assessment. Multimedia resources may be used during lectures, and documentaries and/or films related to the course topics may be screened and discussed in class.

Assessment methods

Assessment will take the form of an oral examination.

Students who actively attend the course will be assessed through two components. The first component (40% of the final grade) will be based on the quality of the presentations and the subsequent discussions of the activities carried out by the working groups established during the course under the supervision of the instructor. The second component (60% of the final grade) will consist of an individual oral examination at the end of the course.

In summary, the final grade for attending students will be based on:

• 40% Active participation during classes (quality of contributions to debates and position papers, engagement in classroom discussions, and participation in workshop-based analysis of course materials).
• 60% Final oral examination (critical discussion of the course readings).

Students who do not attend the course will be assessed exclusively through an oral examination designed to evaluate their critical understanding of the two books included in the reading list.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence tools during examinations is not permitted, except where explicitly authorised by the instructor as an integral part of the assessment. In such cases, students will be provided with specific instructions regarding the permitted use of AI tools and the assessment criteria that will be applied.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary/permanent disabilities

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the relevant University Office in advance (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ). The Office will propose any appropriate accommodations, which must be submitted to the instructor for approval at least 15 days before the examination. The instructor will assess their suitability in relation to the intended learning outcomes of the course.

Teaching tools

To support the lessons, the teacher will often use multimedia tools available in the classrooms where the lessons will be held. Finally, some complementary teaching materials will be made available to the students on the dedicated portal unibo.

Office hours

See the website of Federico Chicchi