#ButNotMaternity: Analysing Instagram posts of reproductive politics under pandemic crisis

In this article, we perform a thematic analysis of a sample of 70 #ButNotMaternity Instagram posts. #ButNotMaternity is a hashtag that emerged in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic whereby the public, healthcare workers and campaigners shared experiences and concerns about pandemic maternity care restrictions and their disproportionate disadvantages for pregnant women. In the article, we analyse four themes that emerged from our thematic analysis – Individual experiences, loneliness and overcoming adversity, Voicing anger and absurdity, Mobilising anger and calls to action and Coordinated activism. Thinking about #ButNotMaternity in the context of ‘freelance feminism', our article has a twofold aim. First, we explore the concept of ‘freelance feminism' through #ButNotMaternity, asking to what extent this campaign draws from freelance tactics. Second, we use the hashtag to illuminate maternity inequality and modes of resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our thematic analysis, we argue that while ‘freelance feminism' might be becoming hegemonic as a dominant mode of organising feminist activism and resistance, inspired by Malik et al. (2020), we also showcase how creative campaigns are potential places where collective action, structural critique and resistance may emerge. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of European Journal of Cultural Studies is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Why do freelance tour guides still stay after the attack of COVID-19：A path-dependent perspective

The tourism industry has been devastated by COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019), with tour guides taking the brunt. Through in-depth interviews with 24 freelance tour guides in China and thematic analysis, this study addressed why they continue to work in this field and provided some insights for the freelance tour guides to stay in the tourism industry. The findings revealed that some individuals stay active because of their optimistic and open personality, professional recognition, etc. In contrast, others are passively locked into their current career path due to their cautious personality, fear of losing human capital, inertia, low self-efficacy, and limited job opportunities. These findings promote the application of path dependence theory in the career decision-making of freelancers by enhancing our understanding of the diverse reasons underlying individuals' retention behaviors in an unorganized setting in the context of COVID-19.

Labouring the news: Management control strategies and work intensification in the digital newsroom

Using a labour process lens, this research focuses on the structured antagonism that characterises the employment relationship. This article seeks to further our understanding of how news organisations employ control strategies to extract the labour power of journalists and achieve organisational objectives, and we pay particular attention to the role of editors in this regard. We also explore the responses of journalists as workers to managerial control which can include accommodation, resistance, compliance, or consent. The findings are based on an empirical case study of a local newspaper incorporating interviews with editors and journalists. The case study reveals how journalists' work intensified with the turn to digital content, and because of reduced staffing since COVID-19, but editors ensured high levels of productivity through distribution of digital analytics and constant monitoring.

DANCE AFTER LOCKDOWN Living with Paradox

This writing explores the experiences of people in the UK's contemporary dance sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.1 It draws on qualitative data from a small research project—Dance after Lockdown—to examine how that sector understands their work, and how the language and ideology of the creative industries have shaped the lives and experiences of contemporary dance artists and institutions in the UK. The paper offers a range of diverse voices as one of the goals of the research was to examine the breadth of experiences, which we hope makes a case for the need to have a dance sector that is flexible and responsive to the needs of many freelance dance artists. © Ateneo de Manila University.

Refugees in the Digital Economy: The Future of Work among the Forcibly Displaced

The current scale and duration of displacement prompts renewed urgency about livelihoods prospects for displaced people and the role of humanitarian organisations in fostering them. This special issue focuses on how aid organisations, together with the private sector and other actors, have worked to include refugees in new forms of online work within the web-based digital economy. Building on comparative analysis and a comprehensive review of the field of digital livelihoods among the forcibly displaced, in this introductory article we argue that including refugees in this digital economy is currently neither a sustainable form of humanitarian relief nor is it a development solution that provides large-scale decent work. We show how digital livelihoods approaches have gained a special footing in the middle ground between short-term economic relief and long-term development. Indeed, digital economies seemingly offer a variety of ‘quick-fix' solutions at the transition from humanitarian emergency towards long-term development efforts. While digital economies harbour significant potential, this cannot be fully realised unless current efforts to include refugees in digital economies are complemented by efforts to address digital divides, uphold refugees' rights, and ensure more decent working conditions.

Assessment of changes in the online labour market in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: comparison of the dynamics of rural and urban participation

The digital platforms provide rural and small-town residents with access to quality education and a variety of other services, as well as open opportunities for remote job search and the implementation of professional skills. These processes should increase the role of small towns and villages in the formation of the country's online economy, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the article is to compare the participation of residents of large cities and the rest of the Russian population in the field of online work, as well as to compare their skill level. The authors found that residents of small towns and rural areas of Russia are less active in the online labour market. The level of their qualifications is also relatively low. The conclusions were obtained based on the analysis of search queries on the subject of freelancing originating from these localities. Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Co-op mode: the emancipatory potential of freelancer co-operatives in the UK videogames industry following the COVID-19 pandemic

With government-imposed lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one would expect the videogames industry to experience a windfall as locked-down individuals turn to games to fill the time. Despite successful profit margins for game studios, a multitude of issues have affected videogames freelancers, with this paper displaying how the pandemic has not been plain sailing for the industry. Informed by 31 interviews with freelancers and videogames practitioners, this paper adds to knowledge on the viability of worker co-operatives and how they offer hope to those workers looking for more emotional and financial security post-pandemic. The paper concludes by suggesting that although co-operatives provide alleviation for workers against a multitude of concerns, there needs to be more education, promotion and funding for co-ops to make them an accessible corporate structure. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The blurring line between freelance journalists and self-employed media workers.

This study uses the question, 'what makes a freelancer specifically a journalist' as a starting point for investigating the ways Australian freelance journalists experienced and managed precarious employment in COVID-19 impacted 2020. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 32 self-identified freelance journalists, we analyse the types of work they did, the influence of the precarious job situation on their work choices and the consequent ways they chose to display their identity as journalists. Our findings reveal a complex picture, which calls into question some of the binaries established around journalism. While nearly all participants had to resort to work outside journalism in 2020, at least half still displayed strong links to journalism, demonstrated by their sense of belonging to a community of journalists, and their continued interest in doing self-funded public interest journalism as 'passion projects'. However, we also noticed a blurring between the descriptors of journalist and writer, based partly on employment opportunities but also, importantly, on interest in increasing creativity in the journalistic space. These results lead us to question work-test definitions as a signifier of a freelancer's bond to journalism and to propose, instead, that freelancers merit a new standing in the flattening hierarchy of journalism.

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Socioeconomic Characteristics of Freelancers

The study analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work activities of freelancers and the self-employed. The study is based on a conducted survey. A total of 1,157 respondents participated in the survey. The sample subjected to statistical analysis is N=469 people. The employed research methods include correlation and one-factor analysis of variance, as well as text analysis. The textual analysis method is used in determining the reasons behind an unwillingness to register as self-employed. Correlation analysis is used in assessing the impact of the pandemic on income and customer demand. Analysis of variance is deployed to compare subsamples of current freelancers and former freelancers. Analogies are drawn between the current findings and those of other researchers. The results of the study indicate that the main advantage of freelance work is the free schedule (83% of the respondents). Another appeal of freelancing is the lack of the need to go to the office (70%), the freedom to choose orders and customers (68%). Among the negative characteristics of freelancing is the instability of income (67%). In view of the freelancers themselves, the COVID-19 pandemic has had no major influence on their work. Specifically, 40% report that COVID-19 has not affected their work in any way.

The urgency of labor law for informal sector workers in the welfare state concept: An evidence in Indonesia

This study aims to re-examine the issues that involve outreaching the urgency of labor law for informal sector workers in the concept of the welfare state in Indonesia. The research method used is a normative juridical approach or a study of documents or literature that only focuses on labor laws currently in force in Indonesia. The qualitative method approach that is descriptive-analytic is used to describe the relationship of a phenomenon, idea, data, or fact that is found objectively. This study found that the rights, dignity, standard of living, and even the working environment of informal sector workers are still neglected by labor law in Indonesia today. The national labor law has not accommodated legal protection, guarantees, and social security, so there is a legal vacuum for informal sector workers. This condition contradicts the philosophy of Pancasila and the constitution, the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. Thus, efforts to develop labor laws are expected to be carried out by the government together with the legislature to make all parties have the same position in the production process for the achievement of the company's progress. will have implications for national economic growth. On the other hand, this effort is expected to create legal harmonization in the field of employment in general and especially for informal sector workers in the welfare state in Indonesia.

A life without a plan? Freelance musicians in pandemic limbo.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already precarious conditions of freelance workers. The aim of this study is to understand what it means for freelance musicians to be in pandemic limbo. Thirteen Swedish professional freelance musicians in the classical genre were interviewed about their experiences in the midst of the pandemic. A theoretical frame of reference is offered with concepts from Bourdieu, sociology of emotions and emotional geographies. This enables an understanding of what it means as a freelancer to be dislocated and disrupted in relation to places and spaces of work and investments in time and emotions. The conclusions are about the ambivalent emotions and processes of emotional management that are caused by the pandemic. For freelance musicians, depending on their access to the live-settings of gigs, auditions and social venues, it is like being thrown back in time and place (back to where careers were slowly built). However, while at a distance from the normal run of careers, constructive processes of critical reflection and re-orientation have been initiated.

Journalism of the COVID-19 period: current challenges, ways of transformation

The coronavirus pandemic has radically transformed the life of Russians in all spheres: the economic crisis, lockdown, border closures, the flow of fakes and disinformation affected everyone. In these conditions, the methods of organizing the work of the mass media have also changed. Since the number of newsbreaks has decreased, and communication with interviewees and experts is increasingly taking place remotely, this affects the quality of information products. Journalists are often forced to switch to remote work and freelancing, but they remain representatives of a profession with increased risks of infection. The latest practice shows that as a result, the quality of created information products often declined. There were also financial losses because advertisers refused to cooperate with media that were losing their audience. The authors conducted an expert survey of employees of several editorial offices in order to analyze exactly how their work has changed during the pandemic. The results demonstrate a significant breakdown of the previously formed system: new formats of creative activity are being created right now, and journalists find both disadvantages and advantages in this alternative. The work of freelance journalists is becoming more and more relevant in this situation. Their presence in the office is not necessary, and at the same time they can work 24/7. © 2022 Novosibirsk State University. All rights reserved.

“Where is your fixed point?” Dealing with ambiguous freelance musician careers

The pandemic Covid-19 has highlighted the precarious working conditions that freelance performers and artists have always worked under. The aim of this article is to understand and explain freelance musicians’ strategies and emotional labour for dealing with their ambiguous positions and careers. The article develops a theoretical approach, combining concepts of precarity and emotional labour with Bourdieu’s theory of social practices. Interviews with 13 professional Swedish freelance musicians in the art music/classical genre were conducted in the winter of 2021. What is at stake in the gigs the freelancers have, are issues of social belonging and symbolic recognition. Aspirations for working life are negotiated in obvious and subtle ways, practically and emotionally. The freelancers strive to create a fixed point in a job on uncertain grounds. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Cultural Trends is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

The future of the cultural workforce: Perspectives from early career arts professionals on the challenges and future of the cultural industries in the context of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the arts sector, disrupting livelihoods and professional networks and accentuating the instability that is common for creative workers. Gaps in support for grassroots organisations and freelance workers have highlighted structural inequalities within the industry, and the significant challenges for individual workers in the early stages of their career. Yet, the pandemic has also emphasised the importance of the arts as a community resource and its role in supporting wellbeing and togetherness. This qualitative study explored the experiences of the pandemic for early career arts workers, focusing on its impacts upon their livelihoods and how it has shaped their future career directions. Sixteen arts and cultural workers across a variety of sectors including theatre, film, circus, music, and literature participated in solo, semi-structured interviews during April-June 2021. Thematic analysis identified three overarching themes: (i) 'Pandemic precarity and creative practice', (ii) 'PostCOVID I: Inclusivity and diversifying audiences', and (iii) 'PostCOVID II: Adapting, developing, and disrupting cultural practices'. Overall, the experiences capture an early career workforce that, while committed and engaged with their creative practice, also seeks a more equitable, fairer, and diverse industry that protects artists and engages more flexibly with broader audiences.

Flexibility, Occupation and Gender: Insights from a Panel Study of Online Freelancers

We report findings and discuss implications from a panel study of 68 U.S.-based online freelancers. These findings emerge from analysis of two rounds of data collection: The first round straddled the arrival of COVID in 2020 and the ensuing pandemic-inspired economic downturn. The second round, from early 2021, provides insight into how online work changed in the following months. We see online freelancing as a window into one future of work, one where the market, not the organization, is the primary structure of the worker-employer interaction, mediated by digital platforms and relying on both algorithms and interaction between parties. Our purposive sampling framework, multiple sources of data, and longitudinal design provides for both empirical and conceptual insights into the occupational differences and arrangements of freelance workers. Findings make clear: 1) these workers value job flexibility even as workers experience diminishing flexibility;2) occupation mediates worker’s experiences;and 3) gender differences impact the outcomes of this form of work. These findings also highlight the precarity of online freelance work, raising questions about both online freelancing, and market-based labor structures more generally, as a sustainable source of work or viable career path. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

SOCIAL MEDIA'S GIG-ECONOMY PARTICIPATION AMONGST CONTEMPORARY MALAYSIA'S MUSLIM ENTREPRENEURS

[...]developments had altered the public media dependency upon the previous conventional media-especially in relation to publicizing, promoting, and marketing personal business products. [...]to date, data had shown that Malaysia's Muslim Entrepreneurs' participation are escalating in encouraging numbers. Despite such cruciality, this paper provided estimations from reliable sources-as well as evidential news reporting data. [...]the absolute purpose of this concept paper is to trigger impactful awareness on the importance of gig-economy's future and beyond among the academicians. [...]there is no guarantee of repeat bookings, and sometimes no defined methods of payment. [...]the rapid expansion of digital age that we are facing today has given rise to it in euphemistic way of describing short-term contractual or freelance work, as opposed to permanent jobs which come with benefits like medical coverage and statutory savings contributions like for the Employees Provident Fund (ibid.).

Dimensions of expansion for configuring learning spaces in global work

PurposeTechnological innovation and the flexibilisation of labour markets have expanded the pool of workers engaged in globally distributed work. This paper aims to propose an analytical framework to understand and support the productive professional learning of those engaged in global work. Drawing on the theory of expansive learning in the cultural-historical activity theory tradition the study aims to stimulate and enrich the conceptual notion of work as a learning space in the discussion of workplace learning particularly in global work.Design/methodology/approachIteration between theory and data is applied to identify the dimensions of expansion for the configuration of learning spaces in global work. Data are drawn from the experiences of 10 professionals selected by purposive sampling in Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and Singapore.FindingsSix dimensions of expansion are identified as challenging and potentially empowering for professionals’ configuration of learning spaces in global work: social-spatial, material-instrumental, moral-ethical, political-economic, personal-professional and temporal-developmental.Originality/valueThe conceptual framework for the dimensions of expansion of learning spaces provides the broad strokes for reflexive curricula that democratise the learning and development of professionals in global work, who are currently underserved given the national orientation of vocational education and training and professional development ecosystems.

Gender Differences and Lost Flexibility in Online Freelancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We report findings from an ongoing panel study of 68 U.S.-based online freelancers, focusing here on their experiences both pre- and in-pandemic. We see online freelancing as providing a window into one future of work: collaborative knowledge work that is paid by the project and mediated by a digital labor platform. The study's purposive sampling provides for both empirical and conceptual insights into the occupational differences and career plans of freelance workers. The timing of the 2020 data collection provides insight into household changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings make clear these workers are facing diminished work flexibility and increased earning uncertainty. And, data show women are more likely than men to reduce working hours to help absorb the increased share of caregiving and other domestic responsibilities. This raises questions of online freelancing as a viable career path or sustainable source of work.

The Experiences of Mid-career and Seasoned Orchestral Musicians in the UK During the First COVID-19 Lockdown.

The introduction of social distancing, as part of efforts to try and curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, has brought about drastic disruption to the world of the performing arts. In the UK the majority of professional orchestral musicians are freelance and therefore self-employed. These players, previously engaged in enjoyable, busy, successful, portfolio careers, are currently unable to earn a living carrying out their everyday work of performing music, and their future working lives are surrounded by great uncertainty. The aim of the present study was to examine how established professional musicians are experiencing this period, and to look for similarities and differences between the experiences of musicians in the middle of their performing careers (aged 35-45), with those of older players (aged 53 and over). Single semi-structured interviews were carried out over Zoom with 24 freelance, self-employed orchestral musicians; 12 mid-career musicians aged 35-45, and 12 seasoned musicians aged 53 and over. Thematic analysis identified themes common to both groups: the loss of a much-loved performing career, missing music making and colleagues, and anxiety about the future of the music profession. It also identified differences between the two groups: challenges to their identity as a musician, the extent of their anxiety about finances, the extent of their emotional distress, attitudes toward practicing and engaging in collaborative music making, and confusion over future career plans. Findings are discussed with reference to lifespan models of musicians' career development, the PERMA model of wellbeing, and the concept of resilience.

Distancing Bonus Or Downscaling Loss? The Changing Livelihood of Us Online Workers in Times of COVID-19.

We draw on data from the Online Labour Index and interviews with freelancers in the United States securing work on online platforms, to illuminate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic's global economic upheaval is shuttering shops and offices. Those able to do so are now working remotely from their homes. They join workers who have always been working remotely: freelancers who earn some or all of their income from projects secured via online labour platforms. Data allow us to sketch a first picture of how the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the livelihoods of online freelancers. The data shows online labour demand falling rapidly in early March 2020, but with an equally rapid recovery. We also find significant differences between countries and occupations. Data from interviews make clear jobs are increasingly scarce even as more people are creating profiles and seeking freelance work online.