CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2018
| Author | Barmina, Alexandra |
|---|---|
| Title | Labor under Authoritarian Neoliberal Regime: Work Experiences of Independent Journalists in Russia |
| Summary | This study analyzes labor experiences and subjectivities of independent journalists in Russia as conditioned by the specific mode of authoritarian neoliberal regime. While current labor studies focus mostly on the impact of neoliberalization on labor, this thesis demonstrates that experiences of workers, engaged in cultural production in authoritarian states, are conditioned by the state’s endeavor at reproduction of symbolic order and marginalization of those in conflict with the hegemonic state project as well. For this reason, labor of journalists under authoritarian neoliberal regime is characterized as “politically” and “economically” precarious, and these two dimensions of precarity are closely intertwined. Journalists simultaneously face lack of stable contracts, employment insecurity, menace of media outlets being shut-down and even life threat. This research discusses how independent journalists in Russia experience and articulate these insecurities, related to specific economic and political contexts in which their labor is placed. The thesis demonstrates that political dimension of precarity, engendered by the authoritarian regime, is treated by journalists as the most problematic, whereas economic insecurities, albeit solidly present, tend to be ignored. Among the reasons for non- acknowledgement of the economic dimension of precarity are specific understanding of labor journalists share, their liberal ideologies, strong affective bindings to a job, widespread among cultural workers, and privileged class positions. Perception of political insecurities as the dominant threat also contributes to disregard of poor formal labor conditions. |
| Supervisor | Kowalski, Alexandra; Li, Ju |
| Department | Sociology MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2018/barmina_alexandra.pdf |
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