Defining and protecting autonomous work: a multidisciplinary approach

This book, adopting a multidisciplinary approach, investigates the definition of autonomous work and the kind of protection it receives and should receive in a global perspective. The book advocates for the existence of genuine autonomous work to be distinguished from employment and false self-employment. It deserves specific attention from legislators in the view of removing any obstacles to the exercise of freedom of association and collective action at large. The book is divided into two parts. The first focuses on the evolving notion of autonomy and its consequences on social protection, offering a theoretical frame from an organizational, political and legal point of view. The second aims at discovering new regulatory and protective horizons for autonomous work, in the light of blockchain, platform work, EU Competition Law, social security and liberal professions. Finally, the authors offer insights and recommendations on how to protect work beyond categories. Tindara Addabbo is Full Professor of Economic Policy, Marco Biagi Department of Economics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. She is member of the Scientific Committee of the Marco Biagi Foundation. Edoardo Ales is Full Professor of Labour Law and Industrial Relations at the Department of Law, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy. He is member of the Scientific Committee of the Marco Biagi Foundation. Ylenia Curzi is Associate Professor of Organization and Human Resource Management, Marco Biagi Department of Economics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. She is member of the Scientific Committee of the Marco Biagi Foundation. Tommaso Fabbri is Full Professor of Organization and Human Resource Management, Marco Biagi Department of Economics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. He is member of the Scientific Committee of the Marco Biagi Foundation. Olga Rymkevich is Researcher in Labour Law and Industrial Relations at the Marco Biagi Foundation, Italy. Iacopo Senatori is Assistant Professor of Labour Law, Marco Biagi Department of Economics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. He is member of the Scientific Committee of the Marco Biagi Foundation.

Proposed Contents 1 Tindara Addabbo, Olga Rymkevich -- Introduction The Introduction illustrates the basic idea of the book providing a methodological approach to the research that the book aims to present and the rationale for the choice of this topic. Moreover, it explains the continuity with the previous books with Palgrave MacMillan such as 'Working in Digital and Smart Organizations', 'Performance Appraisal in Modern Employment Relations' and 'The Collective Dimensions of Employment Relations'. The chapter then briefly summarizes the contents of the chapters included in the two proposed sections. Section 1: The evolving notion of autonomy and its consequences on social protection: A Theoretical Frame. The aim of this section is to provide a general contextualization of the book by offering a critical interdisciplinary assessment of the evolving notion and theoretical concepts of autonomous work as well as processes accompanying the increasing 'autonomisation' of employment which seriously challenge the traditional dichotomy of autonomy and subordination and put in doubt the adequacy of the existing legal categories and regulatory mechanisms at national and international level…