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Invisible labor

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Invisible labor is a philosophical, sociological, and economic concept applying to work that is unseen, unvalued or undervalued, and often discounted as not important, despite its essential role in supporting the functioning of workplaces, families, teams, and organizations.[1] The term was coined by Arlene Kaplan Daniels in the 1980s.[2][3]

Invisible labor is most often done by women and racial minorities.

The term has been applied to academics,[4] scientists,[5] interpreters,[6] wait staff,[7] secretaries,[8] and women in the household,[9] who bear most of the invisible labor in terms of cleaning, planning, and organizing.[9][10] Even when women are equally employed, they still are responsible for the majority of invisible labor, including cognitive labor.[11][12]

Invisible labor has a toll on the mental, physical, and psychological well-being of those who perform it,[13] and it reflects ongoing power dynamics and gender imbalances between those whose work 'counts' and those whose work remains 'unseen.'[14][15] Invisible labor also falls disproportionately on marginalized groups as a factor of race or other identity characteristics,[16][4][17] to the point it has been referred to as "cultural taxation."[18]

Strategies for addressing invisible labor include acknowledgement and increasing visibility, distributing tasks more equally, implementing policies that recognize or reduce such work, challenging disparate gender and racial roles, and assigning economic value to unpaid labor.[19][20][21][22]

The concept continues to influence public discourse through books and movies.[23] Technology has not reduced invisible labor, despite expectations or promises that it would.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Anderson, Emily Hodgson (2022-04-16). "Invisible Labor, Invisible Hands". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  2. ^ Hatton, Erin (April 2017). "Mechanisms of invisibility: rethinking the concept of invisible work". Work, Employment and Society. 31 (2): 336–351. doi:10.1177/0950017016674894. ISSN 0950-0170.
  3. ^ Daniels, Arlene Kaplan (December 1987). "Invisible Work". Social Problems. 34 (5): 403–415. doi:10.2307/800538.
  4. ^ a b Gordon, Hava Rachel; Willink, Kate; Hunter, Keeley (June 2024). "Invisible labor and the associate professor: Identity and workload inequity". Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. 17 (3): 285–296. doi:10.1037/dhe0000414. ISSN 1938-8934.
  5. ^ Bangham, Jenny; Chacko, Xan; Kaplan, Judith, eds. (2022). Invisible labour in modern science. Global epistemics. Lanham Boulder New York London: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-5995-8.
  6. ^ Kunreuther, Laura; Rao, Sonya (2023-10-23). "The Invisible Labor and Ethics of Interpreting". Annual Review of Anthropology. 52 (1): 239–256. doi:10.1146/annurev-anthro-052721-091752. ISSN 0084-6570.
  7. ^ Crain, Marion G.; Poster, Winifred Rebecca; Cherry, Miriam A. (2016). Invisible labor: hidden work in the contemporary world. Oakland (Calif.): University of California press. ISBN 978-0-520-28640-5.
  8. ^ Wichroski, Mary (March 1994). "The Secretary: Invisible Labor in the Workworld of Women". Human Organization. 53 (1): 33–41. doi:10.17730/humo.53.1.a1205g53j7334631. ISSN 0018-7259.
  9. ^ a b Ciciolla, Lucia; Luthar, Suniya S. (October 2019). "Invisible Household Labor and Ramifications for Adjustment: Mothers as Captains of Households". Sex Roles. 81 (7–8): 467–486. doi:10.1007/s11199-018-1001-x. ISSN 0360-0025. PMC 8223758. PMID 34177072.
  10. ^ Kaplan, Amit (December 2022). ""Just Let it Pass by and it Will Fall on Some Woman": Invisible Work in the Labor Market". Gender & Society. 36 (6): 838–868. doi:10.1177/08912432221128544. ISSN 0891-2432.
  11. ^ Piñon, Natasha (2020-09-11). "Invisible labor is real, and it hurts: What you need to know". Mashable. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  12. ^ Daminger, Allison (August 2019). "The Cognitive Dimension of Household Labor". American Sociological Review. 84 (4): 609–633. doi:10.1177/0003122419859007. ISSN 0003-1224.
  13. ^ D’Ardenne, Kimberlee. "Invisible labor can negatively impact well-being in mothers". ASU News. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  14. ^ Kalita, S. Mitra (2023-09-26). "How to End the Unfairness of Invisible Work". Time. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  15. ^ Rodsky, Eve. "5 Things to Know About Invisible Labor". Optum (Interview). Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  16. ^ Flaherty, Colleen. "Undue Burden". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  17. ^ "The Burden of Invisible Work in Academia: Social Inequalities and Time Use in Five University Departments". Humboldt Journal of Social Relations. 39: 228–245. 2017. ISSN 0160-4341.
  18. ^ Brahm, Nikki (2023-04-18). "Invisible Labor". Insight Into Diversity. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  19. ^ "What 'Invisible Work' Looks Like in the 21st Century | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  20. ^ "Reducing and Redistributing Unpaid Work: Stronger Policies to Support Gender Equality". IMF. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  21. ^ Howard, Jeffrey. "Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Encouraging Participation in Non-Traditional Roles". www.inclusionhub.com. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  22. ^ "Gender equality and inclusive growth: Economic policies to achieve sustainable development". UN Women – Headquarters. 2022-07-28. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  23. ^ Winkelman, Natalia (July 7, 2022). "'Fair Play' Review: Casting a Floodlight on Invisible Labor". New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  24. ^ Hester, Helen; Srnicek, Nick (2023). After work: a history of the home and the fight for free time. London; New York: Verso. ISBN 978-1-78663-309-5.
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