This elective covers key themes that are currently discussed under the header of the future of work. The world of work is rapidly changing as digital technologies, new supply chains and business models as well as demographic change impact the employment patterns and conditions in the labour market. In most countries, employment per se is not the key challenge anymore but the quality of jobs has risen to the top of the agenda. Poor wages, increasing wage inequality and another wave of automation through machine learning and data-driven business models concern policymakers greatly. The course mainly covers rich countries but also raises issues of labour standards in the supply chain and the effects of transnational firms on local labour markets in the global South.
The teaching is based on a short input from the professor's side, followed by class discussions and contributions by students based on the readings. For each session, students will prepare a one-page contribution to the class questions.