Elísio Estanque

Labour Relations and Social Movements in the 21st Century

Perhaps labour relations and social movements are today – more than ever before – two fields of decisive importance in contemporary sociology. In spite of being issues that can be treated autonomously, in a context of intense and ever-worsening austerity measures in many societies it makes sense, in fact, to think of them as interconnected. Besides, it is difficult to talk of a global crisis in capitalism, of an unemployment crisis, of a crisis in models of collective bargaining, and so on, without talking of the response strategies of societys citizens. So, for this purpose, we need to consider the “old” trade union organisations as well as the “new” ones, and to pay attention to the social networks which are emerging worldwide in the struggle for the right to employment and a dignified future. New groups, languages, proposals and rebels are emerging and, in many countries of the West, the overall society seems to be moving and asking for new agendas and political repertoires. The panorama of a deep economic crisis which in the last few decades has hit Europe and its Welfare state in particular has had an unprecedented impact on employment and social policies. The neoliberal model and the effects of deregulated and global finance not only question the “European social model” but push sectors of the labour force – with the youngest and well-qualified being prominent – into unemployment or precarious jobs.

Sociologia e engajamento em Portugal: reflexões a partir do trabalho e do sindicalismo

This paper aims to be an example of the critical-public sociology that is produced at CES - Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra. Focusing one specific research area (sociology of work and trade unionism), the critical perspective is assumed, both in theoretical and reflective terms, as well as political praxis of the social scientist. Considering this framework, the current crisis is taken as the starting point to discuss the portuguese case on the labour issue, stressing some structural lines of the country as a European semi-periphery and showing that some of its current problems have ancient roots.