DSOC 25A39 - Working in the Digital Age: Technology and Labor Market Inequality

Digital technologies are more pervasive than ever, profoundly reshaping how people work and navigate today’s job markets. Yet technological change is often framed as either a blessing or a curse, overlooking the complex ways it interacts with work. This seminar takes a step back to examine the foundations and stakes of contemporary, technology-driven changes in the domain of work. How are current technological changes affecting the nature of work ? To what extent are they contributing to new or existing forms of labor market inequality ? And what policy levers can effectively address new challenges posed by digital innovations in the area of work ? Drawing on a multidisciplinary perspective, it explores the interactions between technology and labor market inequality, integrating insights from sociology, economics, and digital anthropology.

Each class begins with a one-hour lecture and Q&A, followed by a one-hour student-led session. The second half follows a flipped-classroom format, in which a group of students designs and facilitates an activity (e.g., discussion, debate, case study, or mini-presentation) that engages peers in applying and critically examining course concepts.

The course draws on multidisciplinary insights, including both qualitative and quantitative empirical studies. Students are expected to engage with this material and be open to diverse epistemological approaches.

Students will be graded on: