Platform Politics: Corporate Power, Grassroots Movements and the Sharing Economy

Abstract 

The platform economy, powered by companies like Airbnb, Uber and Deliveroo, promised to revolutionize the way we work and live. But what are the actual benefits to our society and economy? This book, and my presentation, will interrogate the ‘sharing economy’, showing how platform capitalism is not only shaped by business decisions, but is a result of struggles involving social movements, consumer politics and state interventions. It focuses in particular on the controversial tactics used by platform giants to avoid regulation. It identifies some common trajectories around regulation across contexts and across several lean platforms. It discusses platform rhetoric, the contentious and confrontational language and stories told by platform businesses. Using a case study of former Airbnb workers, it also delves into ‘platform power’, the ways in which platforms mobilise their users and allies to shape or avoid state regulation.

Short bio

Luke Yates is Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Researcher at the Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester, UK. His work circulates around social movements, consumption, and everyday life. In addition to his recent work on corporate power and technology, he has been working on prefigurative politics, the concept of social movement strategy, theories of practice, everyday politics, sharing practices, eating habits, and sustainable consumption.

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