Research activities: To pursue the objectives defined by research action, I carried out research fieldwork in Ireland and Italy between May 2022 and March 2023, combining various qualitative methods, especially semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Notably, in each country, I interviewed a sample of around 15 participants among food delivery couriers, union representatives, political activists, and company managers. I also carried out participant observation at various political meetings, strikes, and protest events. I spent a visiting period at the European Trade Unions Institute (ETUI), my secondment institution, between April and May 2023.
Teaching activities: At UCD, my host institution, I co-taught, with Prof. Roland Erne, the module ‘European Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management’ at the UCD Quinn School of Business (September - December 2022). The module included a study trip to Brussels from 16-18 November 2022, where we met with representatives from Business Europe, the European Trade Unions Institute (ETUI), the European Public Service Union (EPSU), and the EU institutions Commission and Parliament.
Results and dissemination: I published several articles in international journals and executed various disseminating activities. As for the scholarly publications, the journal articles are:
1. "How algorithms are reshaping the exploitation of labour-power: insights into the process of labour invisibilization in the platform economy", Theory and Society, DOI: 10.1007/s11186-023-09520-9.
2. “Resisting Algorithmic Control. Understanding the Rise and Variety of Platform Worker Mobilizations”, New Technology, Work and Employment, 38(1): 125-144.
3. “Mobilizing against the Odds. Solidarity in Action in the Platform Economy” (with D della Porta, RE Chesta), Berliner Journal für Soziologie, 32: 213–241.
I presented my research project’s results at several conferences and workshops. Among them are:
June 2023, University of Oxford, Workshop "Fighting Back against Algorithmic Management from the Bottom Up". Presentation and discussion of original paper, "Resisting Algorithmic Control. Understanding the Rise and Variety of Platform Worker Mobilizations".
April 2023, University of Strathclyde, International Labor Process Conference (ILPC). Presentation and discussion of original paper, "Misbehaving for the Company. How Couriers’ Deviant Behaviours Boost Food Delivery" within the special stream, "Braverman and Beyond".
I disseminated my results on my twitter and LinkedIn pages. I also published two newspaper articles and one blog post:
1. "Think what’s going on in the gig economy has nothing to do with you? Think again", Irish Times.
2. "Come gli algoritmi stanno trasformando il mondo del lavoro", Sbilanciamoci.
3. "Labour conflicts in the digital age (with D. della Porta, R.E. Chesta)", Social Europe.