Description
Book SynopsisManagement & Workplace Culture Book of the Year,2020 Porchlight Business Book AwardsAPublishers WeeklyFall 2020 Big Indie BookThe dark side of the gig economy (Uber, Airbnb, etc.) and how to make it equitable for the users and workers most exploited. When the sharing economy launched a decade ago, proponents claimed that it would transform the experience of workgiving earners flexibility, autonomy, and a decent income. It was touted as a cure for social isolation and rampant ecological degradation. But this novel form of work soon sprouted a dark side: exploited Uber drivers, neighborhoods ruined by Airbnb, racial discrimination, and rising carbon emissions. Several of the most prominent platforms are now faced with existential crises as they prioritize growth over fairness and long-term viability. Nevertheless, the basic modela peer-to-peer structure augmented by digital techholds the potential to meet its original promises. Based on nearly a decade of pioneering research, After t
Trade Review"Eye-opening as it deconstructs the promises, and downfalls, of the sharing economy." * Foreword Reviews *
“Punctures the hype surrounding the ‘sharing economy’ in this lucid and deeply researched study. . . . Schor backs her claims with detailed evidence, and identifies specific, actionable reforms. This incisive account makes a perplexing subject easier to grasp.” * Publishers Weekly *
“The author, a nimble writer, concludes that ‘social technology’ has to match technology itself, the foremost need being ‘learning how to share.’ The gig economy is a failure, Schor sharply chronicles—but not one that can’t be redeemed by ‘cooperation and helping.’” * Kirkus Reviews *
“Schor’s case studies skillfully represent the full spectrum of optimism and disenchantment—those previously bullish on being their own boss, who have since been dragged into despair. . . . The takeaway from this book is that a complete reimagining of city governance is required if the sharing economy is ever going to work for the people.”
* Financial Times *
"Using an engaging writing style that is accessible to a non-academic audience and to those unfamiliar with the topic, the author brings the reader on a journey along the evolution of the sharing economy, from its roots in the California counterculture through its affirmation in the global capitalist system, to a possible alternative future."
* IRL *
"Juliet Schor’s
After the Gig: How the Sharing Economy Got Hijacked and How to Win It Back tells this story with much flair and nuance, based on her team’s groundbreaking and extensive research." * American Journal of Sociology *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Note: This Book Has Been Coproduced
Introduction: The Problem of Work
1 From the Counterculture to “We Are the Uber of X”
2 Earning on the Platforms
3 Shared, but Unequal
4 “The Shared Economy Is a Lie”
5 Swapping with Snobs
6 Co-ops, Commons, and Democratic Sharing
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Notes
References
Index
