Creative Labour: Towards a Renewed Research Agenda

Abstract

This article focuses on the role of creative labour, which has figured prominently in narratives of ‘new capitalism’ that promise to change standard employment relations and generate new modes of innovation. To move beyond such broad claims a more detailed picture of the characteristics and dynamics of work and employment of creative workers in different industries and groups is required. In this paper we begin by outlining our theoretical approach based on a combination of global production analysis, labour process analysis and a relational view of territorial networks. We proceed by examining the definitions used to define particular industries and workers as cultural or creative and then review recent analysis of work and employment relations in the cultural sector.