The Improvised Language of Solidarity in Migrant Workers’ Organizing

Autumn 2022 Seminar Series

The Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change (CERIC) invites you to the following seminar:

The Improvised Language of Solidarity in Migrant Workers’ Organizing

Date: Wednesday, 7^th of December 2022

Time: 16:00 – 17:30 BST (London) time

Mode of delivery: face-to-face and live-streamed

Room: Leeds University Business School, Maurice Keyworth Building, Seminar Room 1.06

Online registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-improvised-language-of-solidarity-in-migrant-workers-organizing-tickets-419697575747

The Improvised Language of Solidarity in Migrant Workers’ Organizing

Eventbrite – Leeds University Business School presents The Improvised Language of Solidarity in Migrant Workers’ Organizing – Wednesday, 7 December 2022 at Leeds University Business School, Woodhouse, England. Find event and ticket information.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

Abstract

There are considerable language barriers facing the potential collective labour organization of multi-ethnic migrant workers. From the research literature, we know little about linguistic practices that might overcome these barriers. Based on an ethnographic study of the participatory organizing of S.I. Cobas multi-ethnic migrant workers in the Italian logistics sector, we point to three linguistic practices that help overcome language barriers – translation, lingua franca and humour. We theorize these three linguistic practices as constituting an ‘improvised language of solidarity’. We argue that an improvised language of solidarity develops from, and can significantly support, participatory organizing.

Presenter

Dr Gabriella Cioce has been recently appointed Lecturer in Work & Employment at the University of Sheffield. Her main research interests include migrant labour, intersectional workplace politics, labour and social movements and ethnographic methodologies. She co-authored this work with Prof Marek Korczynski and Dr Davide Però.