Automation, Digital Technologies and the Future of Work

This training session is organised by the Digital Technologies, Communication and Artificial Intelligence (DCA) Pathway and is open to all ESRC and non-ESRC funded PhD and MA Social Research students within the WRDTP’s seven partner universities. Whilst this workshop is aimed at DCA Pathway students, PGRs from all seven interdisciplinary Pathways are welcome to attend. The format of this session is guest presentations supplemented by group activities, with a networking lunch at the end.

This session will introduce and explore debates around technology and the future of work. It will reflect in particular on the theoretical and methodological lenses that can help make sense of how technological change is affecting work and workers internationally. No prior expertise or experience in studying work and employment is required. Topics covered include: the use of Social Shaping of Technology theory to understand digital technologies in the workplace; using survey methods to understand the proliferation of digital technologies (and its obstacles).

Learning outcomes are:
– Understand in broad terms what is at stake in the social science debate on technology and the future of work, and develop an awareness of key questions
– Understand the use of different theoretical perspectives for explaining and analysing how digital technologies affect (and are affected by) workplaces, and how these may be operationalized using qualitative methods
– Understand how quantitative techniques can be used to examine the proliferation of digital technologies at work, and the key obstacles in this process