| Preface and Acknowledgements | 5 |
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| Contents | 7 |
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| List of Figures | 8 |
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| List of Tables | 10 |
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| 1 Introduction: The Precarity Debate | 12 |
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| 1.1What Is at Stake? | 12 |
| 1.2The Need for Data | 16 |
| 1.3A Note on Terminology: Precarity, Insecurity, Contingency | 18 |
| 1.4The Neoliberal Period | 19 |
| 1.5Class, Work and Workplaces | 21 |
| 1.6The Structure of the Argument | 24 |
| References | 25 |
| 2 Theorists of Transformation | 29 |
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| 2.1Introduction | 29 |
| 2.2Apostles of New Capitalism | 30 |
| 2.3From Marx to the Multitude | 41 |
| 2.4From Precarity to the Precariat | 47 |
| 2.5Beyond the Precariat | 55 |
| 2.6Dual Labour Markets, Segmentation and Flexibility | 60 |
| 2.7Summary | 66 |
| References | 66 |
| 3 Conceptualising Precarity and Insecurity | 72 |
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| 3.1Introduction | 72 |
| 3.2Visions of Precarity | 73 |
| 3.3Towards a Definition of Precarity | 80 |
| 3.4Visions of Insecurity | 81 |
| 3.5Towards a Definition of Insecurity | 84 |
| 3.6Summary | 85 |
| References | 85 |
| 4 Is Work Being De-standardised? | 89 |
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| 4.1Introduction | 89 |
| 4.2Part-Time Work | 90 |
| 4.3Temporary Contracts | 94 |
| 4.4Agency Work | 104 |
| 4.5Zero-Hours Contracts | 109 |
| 4.6Self-Employment and the Gig Economy | 120 |
| 4.7Summary | 134 |
| References | 136 |
| 5 Is Employment Tenure Declining? | 142 |
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| 5.1Introduction | 142 |
| 5.2Studies of UK Job Tenure | 143 |
| 5.3The Aggregate Evolution of Tenure | 146 |
| 5.4The Pattern of Redundancies | 150 |
| 5.5Female Employment, Part-Time Work and Tenure | 151 |
| 5.6Tenure by Job Type | 156 |
| 5.7Tenure by Employee Characteristics | 159 |
| 5.8Younger Workers | 163 |
| 5.9Summary | 164 |
| References | 166 |
| 6 Rethinking Labour Markets | 169 |
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| 6.1Introduction | 169 |
| 6.2Employment and Two-Way Dependence | 170 |
| 6.3Countermovements | 175 |
| 6.4Reproductive Imperatives | 177 |
| 6.5The Role of Legislation | 181 |
| 6.6The Structuring of Labour Markets | 186 |
| 6.7The Reserve Army | 191 |
| 6.8Varieties of Self-Employment | 194 |
| 6.9Summary | 198 |
| References | 198 |
| 7 An Epidemic of Insecurity? | 204 |
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| 7.1Introduction | 204 |
| 7.2Drivers of Insecurity | 205 |
| 7.3The Evolution of Job Tenure Insecurity | 209 |
| 7.4Acute and Generalised Job Tenure Insecurity | 217 |
| 7.5Job Status Insecurity | 219 |
| 7.6Summary | 225 |
| References | 227 |
| 8 Conclusions | 229 |
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| 8.1The Problems of Precarity and Insecurity | 229 |
| 8.2Against the Common Sense | 230 |
| 8.3The Role of Political Economy | 233 |
| 8.4Precarity and the Retreat from Class | 234 |
| References | 241 |
| Appendix | 243 |
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| References | 252 |
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| Index | 254 |