CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS
Reshaping Work: Algorithms, Autonomy, and the Gig Economy
A book edited by Dilek Zamantılı Nayır (Turkish German University – Istanbul/TURKIYE) and Leo Paul Dana (Dalhousie University – Halifax/CANADA)
Introduction
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digitalization is profoundly transforming the world of work, particularly within the gig economy. While these developments create flexibility and new opportunities, they also introduce new forms of algorithmic control that reshape job design, worker autonomy, and well-being.
The edited volume Reshaping Work: Algorithms, Autonomy, and the Gig Economy explores how technology redefines work design, labor platforms, and worker experiences, focusing on crowdwork, algorithmic embeddedness, and the health and autonomy of gig workers. The book aims to provide interdisciplinary insights into how technology and algorithmic systems are reshaping the relationship between workers, organizations, and society.
Objective of the Book
The volume seeks to examine how digital platforms and algorithmic systems transform job design, management practices, and labor relations. It invites critical and forward-looking perspectives on the implications of algorithmic management, the evolving meaning of autonomy, and the new challenges for inclusion, well-being, and regulation in the digital economy.
Through conceptual, theoretical, and empirical contributions, the book aims to:
· Illuminate the changing nature of work design in digitally mediated environments.
· Investigate the balance between autonomy and control under algorithmic governance.
· Explore new forms of worker agency, identity, and collective voice in the gig economy.
· Offer guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to design humane and sustainable forms of digital work
Target Audience
The book is intended to serve as a valuable resource for:
· Academics and researchers in management, organizational studies, sociology, labor economics, and information systems.
· Practitioners and HR professionals seeking to understand algorithmic management and digital work design.
· Policymakers and regulators addressing issues of fairness, inclusion, and well-being in digital labor markets.
· Students and educators exploring the intersection of technology, work, and society.
Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Work Design
· Digital Taylorism Revisited: Historical and Conceptual Roots
· The Role of Platforms and Algorithms in Crowdwork
· Algorithmic Embeddedness and Work Characteristics
· The Gig Economy and Worker Well-being
· Resistance, Agency, and Collective Voice in the Algorithmic Workplace
· Redefining Autonomy in Remote and Distributed Workforces
· Technology's Impact on Job Design and Organizational Boundaries
· Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Algorithmic Workplaces
· Ethical and legal aspects of algorithmic management
· AI-driven decision-making in human resource practices
· Digital labor activism and platform cooperativism
· Policy and governance frameworks for digital work
Submission Procedure
Interested authors are invited to submit:
A 300–500 word abstract outlining the proposed chapter, including objectives, theoretical or empirical grounding, and key contributions.
4–6 keywords.
Abstracts should be submitted by November 30, 2025
Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by December 20, 2025 and invited to submit full chapters (10-15 pages long, including references) by March 30, 2026
Referencing Style: Use APA 7th edition (author-date) referencing throughout.
Chapters should be consistently written in English (US).
Chapters should be submitted in Microsoft Word format (.docx).
All chapters will be reviewed to ensure academic quality, coherence, and consistency with the overall objectives of the volume.
Publisher
De Gruyter Brill is an academic publisher, created in 2024 through the merger of the publishers De Gruyter and Brill. The company is an independent, family-run publishing house with a history spanning more than 300 years and publishes thousands of books and journals annually in fields such as the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, as well as technology, engineering, and mathematics. The publisher's headquarters are in Berlin, with a large branch office in Leiden, Netherlands.
Important Dates
Milestone Deadline
Abstract submission November 30, 2025
Notification of acceptance December 20, 2025
Full chapter submission March 30, 2026
Review feedback to authors June 30, 2026
Final manuscript submission to publisher September 30, 2026
Expected publication June/July 2027
Chapter proposals and other inquiries should be sent to:
Prof. Dr. Dilek Zamantılı Nayır – Turkish German University (Istanbul/TURKIYE)
dilek.nayir@tau.edu.tr
Saygılarımla/Mit freundlichen Grüssen/Best regards,
Prof. Dr. Dilek Zamantılı Nayır