The Sociology of Work and Labor
Guest Lecture on Emotional and Aesthetic Labor in the Service Triangle
Full guest lecture (pdf)
Discussion questions:
What might we consider as we move away from brick-and-mortar clothing stores to depending on e-commerce and influencers? What concerns should we have about platform labor in this way?
How might emotion work transform under these new conditions, where you often can perform the labor from wherever you please?
As we move forward to a much more digital shopping experience, how might we think through aesthetic labor and ramifications for workers? What should we be concerned about?
“Katie’s slide deck was clear and compelling and, admittedly, better than any of my own. Students were deeply engaged from start to finish, highlighting the ramifications of emotional labor on their own lives and discussing the differing demands of aesthetic labor inn the racial and class-segregated retail industry... Katie’s lecture was, unquestionably, a raging success.”