'The future of work and jobs has become a critical policy area and a frequently heard rallying cry during election campaigns. Politicians and lay public commonly propose simple solutions to the problems of unemployment, underemployment, labour underutilization, mismatch between available skill-sets and job requirements and so on. Globalisation/outsourcing, globalism and foreign labour are increasingly targeted as the main cause of job shortages. Also targeted are international organizations and ‘lobbies’ as well as (allegedly) incompetent local politicians. There is, however, one significant variable frequently missing in these debates: Automation. This provocation looks at the implications of automation on the futures of work. It offers hints and clues as to the dilemmas ahead, it also takes a deliberately normative approach to questions of ‘jobs’, ‘employment’ and ‘work’ as a good provocation works best with clear and accepted categories.' (Publication abstract)
