How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies

This article summarises and presents the main findings of Marie-Anne Dujarier’s French book Troubles dans le travail (2021). It focuses on the “travail” category of thought and practice in France, where it has become a ubiquitous and moral notion. The article traces the history of its social uses, h...

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Main Author: Marie-Anne Dujarier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group 2023-10-01
Series:tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/1449
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author Marie-Anne Dujarier
author_facet Marie-Anne Dujarier
author_sort Marie-Anne Dujarier
collection DOAJ
description This article summarises and presents the main findings of Marie-Anne Dujarier’s French book Troubles dans le travail (2021). It focuses on the “travail” category of thought and practice in France, where it has become a ubiquitous and moral notion. The article traces the history of its social uses, highlighting its polysemy with respect to vernacular and scientific uses, then its limited meaning when used in institutions. It examines contemporary situations in which activity requiring effort, the production of use or exchange values, and the status of employment and remuneration are disconnected. Their frequency and importance cast doubt on who is working and when. This disruption in the “work” category of thought indicates that the eponymous institutions do not adequately accommodate real practices. They are therefore questioned. This observation is also an invitation for researchers to unpick this word for a better analysis of contemporary social, psychological and ecological issues. In France, the word “travail” is ubiquitous in our day-to-day exchanges, as well as in our scientific and political discussions (“travail” is often translated as ‘work’ or ‘labour’, translations are part of the history of the category). Although regularly given only one value, it also has a moral domain. But what does it mean? This article offers Anglo-Saxon readers a summary of in-depth sociological research on this issue, published in the book called Work Troubles. Sociology of a category of thought (French original title: Troubles dans le travail. Sociologie d’une catégorie de pensée) by the author of this article.
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spelling doaj.art-eb37d4f6d60d4dd28970c3ce8eff16012023-11-03T14:49:12ZengPaderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research GrouptripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique1726-670X2023-10-0121210712110.31269/triplec.v21i2.14491449How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist SocietiesMarie-Anne Dujarier0Université Paris CitéThis article summarises and presents the main findings of Marie-Anne Dujarier’s French book Troubles dans le travail (2021). It focuses on the “travail” category of thought and practice in France, where it has become a ubiquitous and moral notion. The article traces the history of its social uses, highlighting its polysemy with respect to vernacular and scientific uses, then its limited meaning when used in institutions. It examines contemporary situations in which activity requiring effort, the production of use or exchange values, and the status of employment and remuneration are disconnected. Their frequency and importance cast doubt on who is working and when. This disruption in the “work” category of thought indicates that the eponymous institutions do not adequately accommodate real practices. They are therefore questioned. This observation is also an invitation for researchers to unpick this word for a better analysis of contemporary social, psychological and ecological issues. In France, the word “travail” is ubiquitous in our day-to-day exchanges, as well as in our scientific and political discussions (“travail” is often translated as ‘work’ or ‘labour’, translations are part of the history of the category). Although regularly given only one value, it also has a moral domain. But what does it mean? This article offers Anglo-Saxon readers a summary of in-depth sociological research on this issue, published in the book called Work Troubles. Sociology of a category of thought (French original title: Troubles dans le travail. Sociologie d’une catégorie de pensée) by the author of this article.https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/1449category of thoughtcategory of practiceworklabourdigitalfree labouremploymentinstitutionscapitalocene
spellingShingle Marie-Anne Dujarier
How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies
tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
category of thought
category of practice
work
labour
digital
free labour
employment
institutions
capitalocene
title How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies
title_full How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies
title_fullStr How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies
title_full_unstemmed How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies
title_short How Work as a Category of Thought Has Been Disrupted in Neoliberal Capitalist Societies
title_sort how work as a category of thought has been disrupted in neoliberal capitalist societies
topic category of thought
category of practice
work
labour
digital
free labour
employment
institutions
capitalocene
url https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/1449
work_keys_str_mv AT marieannedujarier howworkasacategoryofthoughthasbeendisruptedinneoliberalcapitalistsocieties