Host: Platform Work Inclusion Living Lab (P-WILL) and University of Shkodra “Luigj Gurakuqi”
Location: University of Shkodra “Luigj Gurakuqi’”, Shkoder, Albania
Address: Sheshi Dugajte e Reja, Rruga Jeronim de Rada, Shkoder, 4001, Albania
Event Format: Working Group (WG) Meetings + Conference
Date: May 22–23, 2025
Introduction
Platform work has emerged as a transformative force in the global economy, particularly within the Gold Economy framework, which leverages advanced technologies to drive innovation and inclusivity. However, this transformation is not uniformly positive. A feminist political economic approach reveals that platform work exacerbates gender, racial, and class inequalities, particularly in sectors like care work, where migrant and racialized women are disproportionately affected. This conference integrates feminist economics, intersectionality, and algorithmic governance to critically examine platform work in South East Europe (SEE), a region shaped by post-communist transitions, weak labour protections, and informal economies. By applying a social reproduction lens, we explore how digital platforms reshape care work, labour rights, and economic precarity, and how policy interventions can mitigate these disparities.
This conference builds on the success of past events, such as the Feminist Political Economic Analysis of Platform Capitalism in the Care Sector conference, which examined gender, race, and platform work inequalities in digital economies. That event provided key insights into algorithmic discrimination, labour precarity, and feminist policy advocacy—themes that will be expanded in the South East Europe context during this conference
Structure & Sessions
Working Group (WG) Meetings
Date: May 22, 2025, Time: 09:00 – 14:00
WG3 (Digital Technologies & Data Models): AI governance, bias reduction, and inclusive design in platform economies.
WG4 (Mobilisation, Regulation & Policy Strategies): Labour rights, policy frameworks, and TEC inclusion in digital economies.
Date: May 22, 2025, Time: 14:30 – 17:00
Joint WG3 & WG4 Strategy Session: Drafting policy briefs and identifying synergies for sustainable platform regulation.
Call for papers
Conference “Platform Work in South East Europe: Feminist Futures, TECs, and the Gold Economy”
Date: May 23, 2025, Time: 09:00 – 15:00, Location: University of Shkodra, Albania
About the Conference
The Platform Work in South East Europe Conference brings together researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society organisations (CSOs) to explore the transformative impact of platform work on gender, traditionally excluded communities (TECs), and socio-economic justice in the region. The conference will critically examine the intersection of feminist economics, intersectionality, and algorithmic management within the Gold Economy, a framework that integrates digitalisation, innovation, and inclusivity.
We invite abstracts for research papers, policy studies, and case studies that engage with the following themes:
Conference Themes
- Feminist Political Economy & Platform Work
- The impact of digital labour platforms on gender, class, race, and migration.
- Care work and platformisation: How platform capitalism restructures social reproduction.
- Gendered labour precarity, algorithmic management, and invisible work.
- Algorithmic Justice & AI Governance
- The impact of algorithmic bias on digital labour markets.
- Feminist critiques of AI-based platform management and data exploitation.
- Regulating digital work: AI ethics, transparency, and governance frameworks.
- Post-Communist Labour Transitions & TECs
- Platform work and labour rights in SEE: Policy implications and trade union responses.
- Barriers to platform work participation for TECs, including migrants, women, and informal workers.
- The gig economy, informal labour, and policy gaps in SEE.
- Policy & Advocacy for Inclusive Platform Work
- Aligning SEE platform economies with the European Pillar of Social Rights & SDGs.
- Labour protections for platform workers: Policy frameworks, legal challenges, and best practices.
- Strategies for grassroots and trade union mobilisation in digital labour markets.
- Women & TEC CSO Panel: Collective Strategies for Digital Labour Justice
- The role of women’s rights organisations and TEC CSOs in shaping fairer digital labour markets.
- Feminist strategies for collective bargaining and advocacy in digital economies.
- Addressing gender-based discrimination, digital exclusion, and economic precarity.
Structure
Plenary Sessions and Keynotes
- Feminist Political Economy & Platform Work
- Keynote exploring how gender, class, race, and migration intersect in platform work.
- Critical perspectives on the feminisation and informalisation of gig work in South East Europe (SEE).
- Algorithmic Justice & AI Governance in Platform Work
- Keynote discussion on algorithmic bias, AI-driven discrimination, and worker surveillance.
- Perspectives on platform governance, digital labour rights, and ethical AI regulations.
- Post-Communist Labour Transitions & TECs
- Keynote analysing how post-communist labour market transformations impact platform work.
- The role of labour rights, informal economies, and migration policies in shaping digital labour markets.
Networking & Collaboration Opportunities
- Policymaker-Researcher-Industry Roundtable
- Strengthening policy impact and advocacy efforts for equitable platform work regulations.
- Bridging gaps between academia, government, and private sector stakeholders.
- P-WILL Stakeholder Forum
- Reviewing and advancing WG3 & WG4 research outputs.
- Establishing regional and international partnerships for future research and policy advocacy.