A Place and Space for a Critical Geography of Precarity?

Abstract

This paper explores growing interest in the term 'precarity' within the social sciences and asks whether there is a place for a 'critical geography of precarity' amidst this emerging field.Referring to life-worlds characterised by uncertainty and insecurity, the term precarity is doubleedged as it implies both a condition and a possible rallying point for resistance. Such areas should be of concern and interest to human geography yet engagement with the concept in the discipline thus far has not been widespread. This paper covers four key aims. First, it reviews where the concept of precarity has made an appearance in work by geographers and in allied disciplines and relates this to the more sustained usage in European social science. Second, an attempt is made to clarify the meaning of the term and elucidate more precisely what it refers to. Third, the term precarity is explored alongside related concepts of risk and vulnerability and questions are asked about the conceptual distinctiveness of the term precarity. Finally, an argument is made for a potential critical geography of precarity through looking at the situation of migrant labourers working in low-paid sectors of the UK economy; individuals who may find themselves at the forefront of precariousness due to their labour conditions.

Emotions of austerity: Care and commitment in public service delivery in the North East of England

“…As one Community Centre In their response to cuts made in government funding to them in 2010, North East local authorities identified that one of the immediate implications would be 6,200 public sector redundancies and between 2500-4000 redundancies in private and third sectors (ANEC, 2010). As the following participant, from one local council explained, the re-organisation of Emotions of austerity: care and commitment in public service delivery in the North East of England 15 local government resulting from such job losses, has had clear consequences for the amount, type and quality of work required of remaining staff, but also emotional ramifications in the form of precarity (Waite, 2009) These experiences were also shared by those working in the third sector, who were struggling to cover the work of other recently closed groups/projects, an experience described by a representative from a refugee community organization as 'draining'. This refers to emotional work, not necessarily the labour that goes into the management of emotions for external audiences (Hochschild, 1979), but the work that goes into coping in increasingly pressurized environments.…”

Living the Chilean dream? Bolivian migrants’ incorporation in the space of economic citizenship

“…Lewis et al, 2014;Anderson, 2007Anderson, , 2010Waite, 2009;Barbier, 2004;Duell, 2004). Furthermore, the etymological and philosophical indebtedness of 'precarious work' to the concept of precarity (from the French précarité) is one of its advantages as it indicates the inextricable linking of the economic to other spheres of people's daily lives (see Anderson, 2010; and on precarity more broadly see Butler, 2009;Waite, 2009). …”

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