Labor & Economy

The pace of technology poses myriad challenges to those who build and maintain our economy. But it also presents opportunities to build a more equitable society.

As society relies on gig workers, will they see a boost in stature?
As new COVID-19 cases surpass 50,000 in a single day, people working for platforms like Instacart are among those most exposed to health risks.
Christian Science Monitor

Uber and under: Why gig workers struggle in pandemic
An estimated 16.4% of U.S. workers are unemployed as of May. Life for gig workers remains especially precarious amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christian Science Monitor

Who’s the boss? In worker-owned cooperatives, everyone is.
For 12% of U.S. workers, employee-owned co-ops offer a path to economic equality that resonates with socialists, liberals, and conservatives.
Christian Science Monitor

Can small liberal arts colleges survive the next decade?
Hampshire College, the famously experimental liberal arts college in Amherst, Mass., is facing dire financial straits. Is the school a bellwether for the collapse of small colleges that rely on tuition?
Christian Science Monitor

Faces of a new capitalism: How Millennials are embracing socialist values
Many Millennials are rebelling at an economic system that they believe puts profits over fairness and equality. Is capitalism too harsh?  
Christian Science Monitor

In tech worker dissent, signs of a broader shift
Big tech has come under fire in recent months following breaches of public trust. But the industry is also feeling pressure from within, as workers press their bosses to take a moral stand on human rights.
Christian Science Monitor

Can your boss make you wear a Fitbit?
Some 8 percent of employee wellness plans offer wearable fitness trackers to workers. Are the trackers really voluntary?
Christian Science Monitor

Equity pending: Why so few women receive patents
The US Patent Office’s 10 millionth patent is a testament to American innovation. But the patent rolls also shed light on a persistent challenge: gender disparities in innovation-heavy fields.
Christian Science Monitor

Karl Marx turns 200: Are his ideas still relevant?
Writing down an idea is like throwing a message in a bottle into the sea: Once it leaves your hands, you cannot predict or control how far it will travel or whose hands will take up the message.
Christian Science Monitor

No, the Irish were not slaves in the Americas
Despite efforts to debunk the falsehood, the notion of ‘Irish slaves’ continues to circulate online, clouding discussions about racism and further complicating relations between Irish-Americans and African-Americans.
Christian Science Monitor