Presentation

“Labour, Production and Social Struggles in the 21st Century” is the first international colloquium organised by the Labour Relations and Society Research Group of the Centre for Social Studies (RETS/CES). The initiative, which will take place on 27 and 28 May, 2016, is the achievement of the group's wish to promote an annual academic meeting targeted at young researchers interested in issues related to work, labour and productive relations, and their connection with other spheres of social life.

Integrated into a wider action plan, the colloquium aims to create a space for reflection and discussion between young social sciences researchers and specialists, encouraging dialogue among varying perspectives arising from different generations of researchers about key themes related to contemporary society. 

Open to the entire academic community and to the general public, the colloquium is framed within the academic discussion and analysis of political, economic and social domains. Focusing on structural issues of the globalised world, which directly impact the daily lives of individuals, it explores various theoretical approaches in order to critically analyse the micro and macro dynamics of social phenomena and the various intersections between them. Through working groups and the presence of regarded academics, as well as of people from organised labour and trade associations, it also intends to provide a voice for experiences from the field and their theoretical perspectives.

The theme “Labour, Production and Social Struggles in the 21st Century” was selected as a recognition of the structuring dynamics of the flexibilisation and precarisation of labour in the current context. The worlds of work and production have seen, since the 1970s, transformations that continue to surprise societies and challenge their protagonists. The liberal political turn and the technological revolution of the 1980s open the door for the main transformation in the world of work: flexibilisation. In the 1990s, with the expansion of international trade, labour relations were increasingly affected by the liberalisation of economic, financial and productive policies. The decade was marked by important transformations. The combination of different productive models, the offshoring of production, the transnationalisation of businesses, and the financialisation of economies and states, coupled with increasing individualisation and flexibilisation of work contracts and decreasing trade unionism, are some of the tendencies that have supported flexibilisation and normalised the vulnerability of work, workers and the organisations that represent their interests. 

While the 20th century marked the achievement of the majority of labour rights that we now take for granted, it was also marked by the loss of many of these rights. Following on this historical path, the 21st century is currently at a crossroads. This colloquium aims to engender a reflection about the roles of work, production and the struggle for social rights in a context of increasing liberalisation, individualism and inequality.    

The themes proposed by the Organising Committee are as follows:
1- Labour and productive relations, conflict and dialogue
2- Globalisation and National and Transnational markets of production and employment
3- Gender, work and inequalities
4- Work, education and health
5- Economy, development and public policy
6- Professions, qualifications and technological change
 

Registration

Registration can be done through the submission of the form below, according to the following guidelines:
- Registration with communication: until 17 May, 2016, €15,00. After this date, registration will cost an additional €5,00 (€20,00 total) and can only be confirmed until 24 May
- Registration without communication: until 28 May, 2015, €5,00

The Organising Committee informs that:
i. there will be no refunds for those who register but do not take part in the event
ii. certificates for participation and communications will only be available in digital format

Contacts:
The Organising Committee can be reached by email: callrets@ces.uc.pt

For questions regarding registration and payments, contact the Centre for Social Studies directly through the email: inescosta@ces.uc.pt

Organising Committee: Alfredo Campos, Ana Alves da Silva, Bia Carneiro, Bruno Fernandes Januário, Saulo Aristides de Souza  | Labour Relations and Society Research Group of the Centre for Social Studies (RETS/CES)