In this episode, we discuss Weeks' conceptual pairing of freedom and equality as a way to consider domination and subordination at work.

We talk about this using examples of employment contracts, gig work design, and roles with power and authority.

We also begin an exploration of traditional work values - a lengthy and layered topic that will continue in future episodes. This time, we consider how the shift from Liberal to Radical Feminist critiques in public discourse challenged traditional work values. Additionally, we consider how we have perceived the impact of work values within our separate areas of industry and expertise.

Art of the Episode Black Power Naps, by Sosa and Navild Acosta. This artwork took the form of an installation in 2023 at MOMA’s creativity lab and was called La Biblioteca is Open.

Question of the Episode

When do you experience a sense of autonomy in your work? Decision making? Scheduling? Work methods? What about competence? How do you get to demonstrate that competence? What about relatedness? For the area you feel is least represented - what is available to you to add to it?

Read more about Self-Determination Theory.

Works cited

Weeks, K. (2011). The Problem with Work. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822394723

Gray, M. L., & Suri, S. (2019). Ghost Work: How to Stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass. https://c2o-library.net/catalog/index.php?p=show_detail&id=6958&keywords=

Firestone, S. (1972). The Dialectic of Sex: The case for Feminist Revolution. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA20741946

Willis, E. (1984). Radical feminism and feminist radicalism. Social Text, 9/10, 91. https://doi.org/10.2307/466537

Blustein, D. L., Lysova, E. I., & Duffy, R. D. (2022). Understanding decent work and meaningful work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10(1), 289–314. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-031921-024847

Cover artwork by Simone Hutsch from Unsplash.

Music by Tech Oasis from Pixabay.

Inquires: [email protected]