Search

This paper explores the concept of chaotic career trajectories: those careers exemplified by random movement in wages, stability, and security from job to job. In other words, a group of workers as an entire unit- in this case web designers- collectively follow chaotic career trajectories, with no discernible rhyme or reason to their employment mobility patterns. In this paper, I examine the existing sociological literature on career trajectories and argue that one aspect of many web designers' careers- namely multiple simultaneous employment- contributes to chaotic mobility patterns. I conclude by arguing that chaotic careers may become the norm for various sectors of workers within a post-industrial employment landscape. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares two cases of "unorganizable" workers: teaching assistants (TAs) and web designers. Although both sets of workers experience unstable, insecure employment, TAs successfully organized while web designers have failed to do so. The stumbling block for TAs centered on their ambiguous status as workers and apprentices while web designers contend with social isolation and uncertain status as quasi-professionals and self-employed contractors. Drawing on extensive qualitative data, I draw from the TA case to explore the future of unionization for web designers. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]