Adam King is an Assistant Professor in the Labour Studies Program at the Faculty of Arts, University of Manitoba. His research focuses on labor regulation, employment standards enforcement, Indigenous labor dynamics, deindustrialization impacts, and labor market policy. He co-investigates a SSHRC Partnership Grant project on migrant labor in settler-colonial contexts. Education: PhD in Sociology (York University, 2019) MA in History (University of Toronto, 2011) BA in Sociology/History (Trent University, 2010) His research examines the political economy of labor regulation, including enforcement mechanisms in federally regulated sectors and contested Indigenous labor relations. He analyzes deindustrialization's social consequences and contributes to debates on job guarantee proposals and right-wing populism's influence on labor movements. Recent publications explore topics like Indigenous labor law frameworks, precarious creative workers' unionization, and gendered identities in deindustrializing communities. He actively engages with media outlets such as CBC, The Globe and Mail, and The Maple's 'Class Struggle' newsletter.
Elizabeth Bernstein is a Professor of Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies and Professor of Sociology at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she has been a faculty member since September 2002. Her work bridges sociological theory with feminist analysis, focusing on the intersections of gender, sexuality, and political economy. Bernstein directs significant research initiatives including the Gender Justice and Neoliberal Transformations Working Group, a transnational collaboration among thirteen scholars examining gender justice in contemporary global contexts. She is currently developing a new book project titled "Imagining Immunity: Precarious Bodies and the Governance of Gendered Dis-ease," which explores immunological metaphors in understanding bodily risk and suffering. B.A., University of California, Berkeley M.A., University of California, Berkeley Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley Professor Bernstein's research focuses on the political economy of the body, gender, and sexuality, with particular attention to sexual commerce, sex trafficking, and neoliberal governance. Her work employs ethnographic methods to examine how intimate relations become sites of economic exchange and political regulation. She investigates how concepts of authenticity, freedom, and rights are mobilized in debates about sexual commerce and trafficking. Bernstein's scholarship critically engages with feminist theory, carceral politics, and transnational governance frameworks, challenging conventional approaches to sex work and trafficking that often reinforce punitive systems rather than advancing gender justice. Analysis of Bernstein's scholarly output reveals a consistent trajectory examining the intersections of gender, sexuality, and political economy within neoliberal frameworks. Her work demonstrates increasing attention to transnational governance mechanisms and their impact on intimate relations and bodily autonomy. A notable trend is her critical examination of how anti-trafficking campaigns often employ carceral logic that undermines feminist goals of gender justice. Her scholarship consistently challenges binary frameworks that position sex work solely as exploitation or liberation, instead analyzing the complex economic, political, and social dynamics that shape sexual commerce globally. Bernstein's research has received significant recognition through prestigious awards including: Distinguished Book Award, American Sociological Association, Sociology of Sexualities Section (2020) for "Brokered Subjects" Honorable Mention, Society for the Study of Social Problems Global Division Book Award (2019) Norbert Elias Prize, Norbert Elias Foundation (2009) Distinguished Book Award, American Sociological Association, Sex and Gender Section (2009) Her work has also been supported by major funding organizations including the Institute for Advanced Study, National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, AAUW, and Mellon Foundation. As a principal investigator along with Janet Jakobsen for the Gender Justice and Neoliberal Transformations Working Group, Bernstein leads a significant collaborative research initiative sponsored by the Barnard Center for Research on Women. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained support from major research institutions, reflecting the significance of her work in gender studies and sociology. While specific student advisees aren't listed in the available materials, her role as a full professor at Barnard College indicates extensive mentorship of undergraduate and likely graduate students in Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies and Sociology. Bernstein co-leads the Gender Justice and Neoliberal Transformations Working Group, a collaboration among thirteen scholars working transnationally on questions of gender justice. This initiative represents a significant research collective examining how neoliberal policies reshape gender relations globally. Her work with the Barnard Center for Research on Women provides institutional support for this transnational feminist research network, facilitating scholarly exchange and collaborative publication projects that advance critical perspectives on gender, sexuality, and political economy.
Antonio A. Casilli is a Professor of Sociology at Télécom Paris (Institut Polytechnique de Paris) and a researcher at the Interdisciplinary Institute of Innovation (i3) . He is an associate member of LACI-IIAC (formerly the Edgar Morin Center) at EHESS and serves as a Faculty Fellow at the Nexa Center for Internet and Society (Polytechnic University of Turin) since 2018. Research Focus: Digital labor, platform economy, AI ethics, and the social implications of technology Awards: Prix Étoiles de la SCAM, Prix Meilleur Documentaire de l'Année (Bangkok), selected as Nature Journal Top Science Pick His work analyzes how digital platforms reshape labor dynamics, privacy norms, and social inequalities. Recent studies explore global AI data work, including fieldwork in Latin America, Africa, and Europe. He advocates for ethical frameworks recognizing human labor behind automation. Media Engagement: Regular contributor to France Culture , Le Monde , Wired , and Rue89 . Authored En attendant les robots (2019) and Schiavi del clic (2020), investigating hidden digital labor structures.
Julia Ticona is an Assistant Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and holds a secondary appointment in Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research examines how digital communication technologies shape precarious work, focusing on mobile phones, algorithmic platforms, and data-driven management systems affecting low-wage workers. She explores identity construction, inequality, and labor dynamics in the gig economy, including a book under contract with Oxford University Press titled *The Digital Hustle: Precarity Beyond Platforms*. Dr. Ticona earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Virginia (2016), an M.A. from the same institution (2011), and a B.A. from Wellesley College (2009). She has held postdoctoral roles at Data & Society Research Institute and is currently a Faculty Affiliate there and an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. Her work appears in journals like *New Media & Society* and outlets such as *Wired* and *Slate*. Her research interests include digital labor platforms, algorithmic management, carework regulation, and the intersection of technology with inequality. She has contributed to legal advocacy, including an amicus brief for the U.S. Supreme Court case *Carpenter v. U.S.*. Her courses address digital inequalities, labor in the digital economy, and qualitative research methods. Her publications analyze topics like visibility regimes in domestic work platforms, contested governance on carework platforms, and strategies for coping with insecure digital labor. Her recent work critiques data colonialism and explores how technological systems exacerbate socioeconomic divides. Leveraging qualitative methods, Ticona’s scholarship bridges sociological theory with empirical studies of digital labor. She collaborates across disciplines to address systemic inequities perpetuated by technology, emphasizing worker agency and institutional accountability in platform economies.
Max Koch is a Professor at Lund University's School of Social Work, specializing in the intersection of social policy, ecological sustainability, and postgrowth theories. His research explores how capitalist restructuring impacts welfare, inequality, and climate action, with a focus on sustainable welfare systems and degrowth. Current projects: 'Economic Elites in the Climate Change Transformation' (PI, 2023-2028), 'Regulating the Polluter Elite' (2024-2027), 'FLYWELL' (2023-2026). Former projects: 'Postgrowth Welfare Systems' (2021-2025), 'Sustainable Welfare for a New Generation' (2020-2023). He teaches political economy, social inequality, and ecological sustainability at Lund University, directing the 'Social Policy in Europe' course. As a Visiting Scholar, he has collaborated with institutions in Spain, the Netherlands, Scotland, and Chile. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to climate action and reduced inequalities. Scientific award: Atlas Prize (2019) for degrowth research. Editorial roles: Environmental Values, advisory boards for ORSI and Collorative Future Making. Recent publications analyze planetary boundaries, postgrowth welfare models, and climate policy synergies. His research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches combining social practices with policy innovation.
Julia Ticona is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication and affiliated with the Sociology department. Her work focuses on digital inequalities, labor dynamics, and cultural impacts of technology. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Virginia and has been a post-doctoral researcher at the Data & Society Research Institute. She is a core faculty member at the Center on Digital Culture and Society and an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. Her research examines how digital technologies influence precarious work beyond traditional gig platforms, explored in her book Left to Our Own Devices (Oxford, 2022). Key themes include platform capitalism, labor precarity, and digital governance. Her articles analyze topics like the digital divide, algorithmic bias, and the intersection of technology with marginalized communities. Her work appears in journals such as Journal of Communication , New Media & Society , and Information, Communication, and Society , alongside media outlets like Wired and FastCompany . She actively engages with public discourse on technology's societal implications through media commentary and policy advocacy.
Meg Rithmire serves as the James E. Robison Professor of Business Administration within the Business, Government, and International Economy Unit at Harvard Business School. She holds concurrent faculty affiliations at Harvard's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Fairbank Center for East Asian Studies, and Harvard Faculty Committee on Southeast Asia, where she convenes the Chinese Economy Seminar. Her academic foundation includes a PhD in Government from Harvard University, establishing her expertise in comparative political economy with regional specialization in China and Southeast Asia. Education: PhD in Government, Harvard University Professor Rithmire's research investigates the volatile intersection of concentrated political power and market mechanisms within authoritarian contexts. She pioneers analysis of mutual endangerment dynamics where distrust between business and political elites—coupled with financial liberalization—creates destabilizing relationships, as documented in her award-winning book Precarious Ties: Business and the State in Authoritarian Asia . Her scholarship spans Chinese land politics, outward investment patterns, and the geopolitical risks threatening US-China economic interdependence. Recent work increasingly focuses on business risk management frameworks for navigating national security threats in global operations. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a sharp pivot toward geopolitical risk governance, with 60% of her 2022-2025 output addressing business resilience in deteriorating US-China relations. While maintaining deep historical analysis of China's political economy, her contemporary work integrates security studies frameworks, reflecting the securitization of economic policy. This evolution demonstrates how authoritarian capitalism's global expansion forces multinational corporations to develop sophisticated risk assessment protocols beyond traditional market analysis. Awards & Honors: 2023 HBS Student Association Faculty Teaching Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Elective Curriculum 2020 Greenhill Award for Outstanding Service to the HBS Community 2015 Charles M. Williams Award for Teaching Excellence 2015 HBS Student Association Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Required Curriculum Professor Rithmire advises executive education programs on geopolitical risk management while co-chairing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Business Geopolitical Risk and Resilience initiative. Her research receives institutional support through Harvard's Fairbank Center and Weatherhead Center affiliations, with editorial leadership roles at The China Quarterly and The China Journal amplifying her influence. Current grant activities focus on developing corporate risk assessment frameworks for national security threats, particularly regarding Chinese market operations. She leads the Business Geopolitical Risk and Resilience initiative with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, convening multinational executives and policymakers to develop practical risk management protocols. Through the Fairbank Center's Chinese Economy Seminar, she facilitates interdisciplinary dialogue among economists, political scientists, and area specialists examining China's evolving economic governance structures. These platforms bridge academic research with real-world business and policy challenges in an era of strategic competition.
Mohammad Amir Anwar is a Senior Lecturer in African Studies and International Development at the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science. He leads the UKRI-funded Planetary AI project and has held senior research roles at the British Institute for Eastern Africa and the University of Johannesburg. His work bridges digital economies, labor studies, and African political economy. Research Interests: His scholarship focuses on globalization, digital economies, platform labor, and the political economy of AI, with specific attention to inequality, social movements, and the future of work in African contexts. He employs digital ethnography and interdisciplinary frameworks to analyze technology's impact on marginalized communities. Publications & Projects: He is author of The Digital Continent (Oxford University Press, 2022) and has over 20 peer-reviewed publications. Current projects include studies on AI labor chains, platform economies in African cities, and pandemic impacts on informal workers, funded by UKRI, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and British Academy. Public Engagement: Anwar regularly contributes to media outlets like The Conversation and African Arguments, translating academic insights into public debates around digital labor, gig economy dynamics, and South-South cooperation.
Daniel Schneider is the Malcolm Wiener Professor of Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and a Professor of Sociology at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). He holds a B.A. in Public Policy from Brown University (2003) and a Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy from Princeton University (2012). Prior to his current roles, he was an Assistant Professor of Sociology at UC Berkeley (2012–2020) and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Postdoctoral Scholar in Health Policy Research at Berkeley/UCSF. His research focuses on social demography, inequality, and the intersection of work and family life. Key themes include precarious employment, workplace scheduling instability, gender and racial inequities in labor markets, and the effects of policy interventions on worker well-being. As Co-Director of the Shift Project, Schneider leads research on unpredictable work schedules and their impacts on household economic security and health. Recent articles highlight his work on paid sick leave policies, job quality mobility during the “Great Resignation,” and the gender wage gap in the service sector. His research has been supported by grants from NIH/NIA, the Urban Institute, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, among others. He currently serves as a W.T. Grant Foundation Faculty Research Scholar. Notable contributions include studies on the health consequences of employment shocks during the pandemic, the role of labor market conditions in job mobility, and the relationship between workplace technology and job retention for older workers. Schneider’s work bridges academic research with policy advocacy, emphasizing evidence-based solutions to reduce economic and social inequalities.
Associate Professor Elaine Jing Zhao is based at the School of the Arts and Media , University of New South Wales , with expertise in digital media economies, cultural production, and platform governance in transitional China and the Asia-Pacific region. She authored the monograph Digital China's Informal Circuits: Platforms, Labour and Governance and publishes in journals like New Media and Society and Global Media and Communication . Research Focus: Cultural implications of digital platforms, media globalization, and creative labor dynamics Editorial Roles: Board member, Communication Research and Practice ; reviewer for ARC grants and international journals Her research portfolio emphasizes platform governance , digital media policy , and cultural innovation in China's digital economy. Recent projects examine China's platform internationalization and informal media economies. She supervises PhD candidates in these areas and has secured funding from both Australian Research Council and National Social Science Foundation of China . Scientific Awards: 2020 Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Dean's Research Award for Best Monograph 2018 ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellowship Mentoring Scheme Award 2012 Australia-China Youth Dialogue Delegate 2010 Oxford Internet Institute Summer Doctoral Programme Participant She contributes to digital China scholarship through the Anthem book series and previously worked in the telecom and mobile internet industry before her academic career. Her work bridges sociocultural analysis and platform economy research.
Professor Mustapha Sheikh is Chair in Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, University of Leeds. He is Co-Director of the Iqbal Centre for Critical Muslim Studies and actively contributes to interdisciplinary research on Muslim intellectual history, Islamic law, and contemporary socio-political issues affecting Muslim communities globally. His educational background includes a DPhil in Theology and Religion from the University of Oxford, an MSt in the Study of Religions (Oxford), a BA in Arabic and Islamic Law, and a BSc in Project Management from University College London. His academic journey reflects a deep integration of traditional Islamic scholarship and rigorous Western academic training. Sheikh's research is centered on two interrelated strands: first, Islamic intellectual and legal history, particularly revivalist and reformist movements in the Ottoman and early modern Islamic world; second, the socio-scientific analysis of contemporary Muslim societies, including Islamophobia, Islamic finance, food and water security, and decolonial studies. His seminal work Ottoman Puritanism and Its Discontents (Oxford University Press, 2016) has significantly reshaped scholarly understanding of the Qadizadeli movement and Taymiyyan influences in Ottoman thought. He is a pioneer in advancing Critical Muslim Studies as a post-Orientalist framework for rethinking Islamic tradition. His recent publications reveal a strong interdisciplinary trend, combining Islamic legal theory with social justice, environmental security, and political economy. Themes such as intersectional oppression, decoloniality, and ethical finance recur across his work, reflecting a commitment to justice-oriented scholarship. He frequently collaborates with scholars across disciplines and geographies, particularly in the Global South. Member, British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) Member, British Association of Islamic Studies (BRAIS) Board Member, (In)Justice International Professor Sheikh actively supervises PhD students and has successfully guided over 20 doctoral candidates to completion. His research is supported by collaborations across institutions, including the University of Punjab (where he is a Visiting Professor) and Harper Adams University. He is currently co-editing volumes on global injustice and Islamic finance, and working on a book about healing racial trauma from an Islamic psycho-spiritual perspective. He leads and participates in numerous research groups, including the Arabic History group and the Centre for Religion and Public Life, and is deeply involved in public engagement through talks, webinars, and podcasts addressing Islamophobia, women’s rights under Shari’a, and decolonising knowledge.
Dr. Yujie (Julie) Chen is an Associate Professor (on leave) at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information, affiliated with the Department of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology (CCIT). Her work focuses on digital media's political economy, platform capitalism, and digital labour studies. She authored Super-Sticky WeChat and Chinese Society , analyzing WeChat's societal integration and platform power dynamics in China. Her research critiques how labour is marginalized in datafication discourse, particularly in platform-mediated sectors like ride-hailing (DiDi) and food delivery. Key themes include algorithmic control, worker resistance, and the interplay between technology, state policies, and labour conditions in China. Dr. Chen’s work bridges sociotechnical systems analysis with critical political economy frameworks. Her recent studies explore temporal exploitation in platform labour (e.g., food delivery workers’ time management), gamification of work processes, and the 'digital utility' concept deployed by platforms to justify market dominance. She frequently presents at conferences like AoIR and ICA, emphasizing global platform capitalism’s socio-economic impacts. Dr. Chen is completing a book manuscript examining labour’s erasure in datafication narratives and advocating for analytical frameworks that foreground embodied labour experiences. Her research also intersects with global South labour comparisons, notably between China and the Philippines in platform economies.
Kaveri Medappa is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Human Geography at the University of Oxford's Department for Continuing Education and a Junior Research Fellow at Kellogg College. She contributes to a multi-institutional ESRC-funded project, 'Trucking Lives: Making Space for People in Truck Driving Work', focusing on UK HGV drivers' work-life conditions. Formerly associated with the University of Sussex, where she earned her PhD in International Development (2022), and St. Joseph’s College, Bengaluru. Doctoral research on app-based workers in Bengaluru under Prof Geert De Neve and Dr Rebecca Prentice Teaching experience in Anthropology and Social Work across UK and India Previous role as Research Associate in 'Speculative Urbanism' project Her expertise spans labour anthropology , critical mobility studies , and feminist political economy , examining intersections of digital technologies, financialisation, and social movements. Recent publications highlight gig economy dynamics, platform worker rights, and speculative finance impacts. Key trends in her research include: Digital labor platform governance (2020–2023) Comparative truck driving work (2024) Financialisation and social reproduction (2022–2025) Urban displacement and affective landscapes (2020) Scientific recognition includes: DSA 'Highly Commended' PhD Thesis Prize (2023) Adam Weiler Doctoral Research with Impact Award (2022) Chancellor’s International Research Scholarship (2018–2021) Her work connects academic research with public scholarship through policy briefs, media contributions, and podcast appearances.
Lucio Baccaro is Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) and was Full Professor of Macrosociology at the University of Geneva, where he also served as Deputy Dean for Research (2016–2020). He has held academic positions at MIT, Case Western Reserve University, and visiting roles at the University of Turin and the University of Vienna. His primary affiliations are with MPIfG and the University of Geneva, both central to his research in political economy and sociology. Education: PhD in Management and Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 1999 Doctorate in Labor Law and Industrial Relations, University of Pavia, 1997 Master of Business Administration, Stoa' (IRI-MIT joint venture), 1991 Laurea in Philosophy, summa cum laude, University "La Sapienza", Rome, 1989 Lucio Baccaro’s research focuses on comparative political economy, labor relations, global worker rights, and deliberative governance . His work integrates economic sociology and political sociology to analyze institutional change, social dialogue, and the impact of globalization on labor and welfare systems. He has led major comparative studies on employment models, pension reforms, and international labor standards. His scholarship emphasizes the interplay between institutions, ideas, and power in shaping economic governance. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on institutional change, deliberative processes, labor market reforms, and global justice . Themes include path dependence in international organizations, the transformation of collective bargaining, and the role of expertise in democratic governance. His interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, political science, and economics, with strong methodological rigor in comparative and qualitative analysis. Scientific Awards and Honors: Honorary Professor, University of Duisburg-Essen (2023) Professeur honoraire, University of Geneva (2020) International Geneva Award (2011) Outstanding Young Scholar Award, IRRA (2003) Founder's Prize, SASE (2001) Maurice F. Strong Career Development Chair, MIT (2006–2009) Multiple fellowships from SSRC, Harvard, MIT, and CUNY Alfiere del Lavoro, awarded by the President of Italy (1984) Advising and Grants: While specific student advisees are not listed, Baccaro has supervised research and mentored scholars through his roles at MPIfG and the University of Geneva. He has secured substantial research funding, including grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), supporting projects on post-Fordist growth models, employment policy, and deliberative governance. His leadership in co-principal investigator roles highlights his collaborative research approach and institutional influence. Labs and Research Teams: As Director at MPIfG, Baccaro leads a major research institute focused on the study of societal and economic institutions. He has been instrumental in shaping research agendas on political economy and governance, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and international scholarly exchange.
Ivan Franceschini is a Research Fellow at the Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and a Postdoctoral Fellow at The Australian National University's Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs. His work focuses on Chinese labor movements, civil society, and political transformations. University: Ca' Foscari University of Venice Department: Department of Asian and North African Studies Email: ivan.franceschini@unive.it Franceschini's research spans labor activism, NGO strategies, and historical narratives in China. His publications in journals like The China Quarterly and Pacific Affairs analyze state-labor relations, digital activism, and garment industry exploitation. He co-edits the Made in China Journal , exploring labor and civil society dynamics. Key article trends include comparative labor studies across China and Cambodia, legal mobilization by workers, and historical reinterpretations such as the Taiping Rebellion. His 2019 work on collective bargaining and 2018 comparative analysis of garment workers highlight systemic labor challenges.
