Aditya Ray

Dr Aditya Ray is a Senior Lecturer in Geography and Environmental Management at the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, Faculty of Environment and Technology. His research lies at the intersection of digitalisation, labour geographies, southern urbanisms, and global development, with a strong focus on social justice and sustainability. Funded by the ESRC, he has led major studies on IT-BPO labour in India and post-pandemic gig work, and is currently leading a new project (2025–2027) on AI value chains in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO). He has also contributed to research on transnational mobility of tech workers at the Open University.

Research Interests:
Dr Ray’s work examines how technological change reshapes work, cities, and development in the Global South. His core areas include:

• Digital and platform labour
• Gig economy and informality
• Labour geographies and global production networks
• Southern urbanisms and urban justice
• Climate and environmental justice
• Transnational mobility and skilled migration
• AI, automation, and the future of work

Recent Research Trends:
His recent publications reflect a deepening engagement with the socio-spatial impacts of digital platforms, particularly in India. Themes include worker precarity, state-platform relations, resistance strategies, and the need for alternative economic models. His upcoming work expands this to AI-driven labour systems, highlighting global inequalities in data and logistics work.

Teaching and Supervision:
He teaches and supervises on modules such as Geographies of Globalisation, Climate Justice, Research Methods, and Transforming Global Cities. He welcomes PhD inquiries on topics related to digital labour, development, and sustainability.

Professional Engagement:
Dr Ray is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). He serves on the editorial board of Work, Employment and Society, a leading journal in economic sociology. He has led initiatives to improve access to higher education for refugees, contributing to UWE’s successful application to become a University of Sanctuary.

Grants and Projects:

• ESRC-funded project on labour geographies of IT-enabled outsourcing (2019–2021)
• Participatory study on app-based workers in post-COVID India (2020–2023)
• New grant on labour and development in AI value chains (2025–2027)
• Research on transnational mobility of tech workers (UK-India, with Open University)

Labs and Teams:
Dr Ray is affiliated with research groups in Digital Geography and Southern Urbanisms at UWE. He collaborates with international partners including the ILO and researchers across the UK and India, working within interdisciplinary teams focused on labour, technology, and urban development.