Coworking Spaces in the Global South: Local Articulations and Imaginaries

Abstract

Building on scholarly explorations on the nuances of labor conditions in emerging knowledge economies in the Global South and the glocalization of the digital labor market, this paper examines how coworking spaces in Philippines are designed and organized. In particular, we explore the role that these alternative workspaces take in addressing the unique needs of local digital platform workers or online freelancers. The Philippines ranks third, after the US and India, among the countries with the greatest number of online freelancers. Drawing from a multisited ethnography of coworking spaces in Metro Manila including interviews with coworking space managers as well as Filipino online freelancers, the paper explores how the latter perceive the role and experience the value of coworking spaces. Echoing Oreglia and Ling's notion of "digital imagination," we find that digital workers sustain a unique sense of "aspirational belonging" to coworking spaces which we describe as a state of willingness to maintain a positive perception of these spaces without any certainty of realizing its promised benefits. We also argue that the very same qualities that render coworking spaces aspirational for online Filipino freelancer function to regulate a degree of in/exclusivity of urban spaces.

Digital Effects and Inequality of People’s Quality of Life in the Globalization Era

“…New trends in digital transformation, crisis and postcrisis processes were studied by Candelon B. et al [9], Smyslov D. [10], Tintiangko J. and Soriano C.R. [11]. It is important to mention the papers which are connected to analysis of digital gaps, for example, Plotichkina N.V., Morozova E.V.…”

Reflexões sobre a gestão de espaços criativos: do trabalho conjunto ao alcance de impacto.

“…The literature commented that some spaces "seem to favor only a limited demographic of digital workers, particularly those who have the financial capacity…" (Tintiangko & Soriano, 2020). In one of the few studies considering the Global South context, the authors remark that socioeconomic and geographic disparities can influence the way specific individuals or groups interpret and use the spaces, and in some cases, they may be entirely excluded from them (Gandini, 2015;Brown, 2017).…”

“…According to Tintiangko and Soriano (2020), these factors help create an "effective environment" that supports professional and the Hub's success.…”