Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism
Digitalisation is often associated with the domination of technology over humans. This article aims to develop a concept of self-perpetuation that illuminates the relationship between technology and social domination instead of focusing only on technological properties. Drawing on Marx’s concept of...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Pluto Journals
2023-03-01
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Series: | Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation |
Online Access: | https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.13169/workorgalaboglob.17.1.0012 |
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author | Konstantin Klur Sarah Nies |
author_facet | Konstantin Klur Sarah Nies |
author_sort | Konstantin Klur |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Digitalisation is often associated with the domination of technology over humans. This article aims to develop a concept of self-perpetuation that illuminates the relationship between technology and social domination instead of focusing only on technological properties. Drawing on Marx’s concept of real subsumption and interviews in industrial companies, we analyse specific forms of self-perpetuation that take place in the digitalised working world. In doing so, we critically examine the diagnosis of digital Taylorism which assumes a comprehensive elimination of the subjectivity of workers. In contrast, we show that digital technology allows for other forms of domination based on the flexibility of living labour. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:14:03Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-5afd99a8353245a38be11379896a3f22 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1745-641X 1745-6428 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:14:03Z |
publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
publisher | Pluto Journals |
record_format | Article |
series | Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation |
spelling | doaj.art-5afd99a8353245a38be11379896a3f222023-05-05T16:00:11ZengPluto JournalsWork Organisation, Labour and Globalisation1745-641X1745-64282023-03-01171123310.13169/workorgalaboglob.17.1.0012Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalismKonstantin KlurSarah NiesDigitalisation is often associated with the domination of technology over humans. This article aims to develop a concept of self-perpetuation that illuminates the relationship between technology and social domination instead of focusing only on technological properties. Drawing on Marx’s concept of real subsumption and interviews in industrial companies, we analyse specific forms of self-perpetuation that take place in the digitalised working world. In doing so, we critically examine the diagnosis of digital Taylorism which assumes a comprehensive elimination of the subjectivity of workers. In contrast, we show that digital technology allows for other forms of domination based on the flexibility of living labour.https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.13169/workorgalaboglob.17.1.0012 |
spellingShingle | Konstantin Klur Sarah Nies Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation |
title | Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism |
title_full | Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism |
title_fullStr | Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism |
title_full_unstemmed | Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism |
title_short | Governed by digital technology?: Self-perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism |
title_sort | governed by digital technology self perpetuation and social domination in digital capitalism |
url | https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.13169/workorgalaboglob.17.1.0012 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT konstantinklur governedbydigitaltechnologyselfperpetuationandsocialdominationindigitalcapitalism AT sarahnies governedbydigitaltechnologyselfperpetuationandsocialdominationindigitalcapitalism |