This content is associated with The Open University's Economics courses and qualifications.
On 22 June 2022, OU Economics hosted a seminar with Dr Sara Stevano of SOAS, University of London, and Dr Michal Nahman of The University of the West of England, and co-curator of the ‘This Is Essential Work’ online exhibition. The event was chaired by Susan Newman, Professor in Economics at The Open University and co-curator of the ‘This Is Essential Work’ online exhibition. Artists from around the world who created work for the exhibition joined the event to share their views on essential work.
Trailer
Watch the trailer below for the seminar, Essential for what? A global social reproduction view on the re-organisation of work during Covid-19.
Learning outcomes
After exploring the material, you will have an understanding of what social reproduction is and what a social reproduction lens can illuminate about the impact of the pandemic. You will learn about feminist political economy and what it means for forms of labour that have predominantly been viewed as de-valued: care work, cleaning, nursing, to be re-labelled as ‘essential’ during the pandemic.
You will explore the interaction of theoretical lenses and the practical work of artists, through the intersectional feminist exhibition ‘This Is Essential Work’ which explores different aspects of domestic care work during the pandemic.
Essential for what?
‘‘The conditions created by the pandemic drive home the fact that we essential workers – workers in general – are the ones who keep the social orders from sinking into chaos. Yet we are treated with the utmost disrespect, as though we’re expendable.’ wrote Sujatha Gidla on 5 May 2020 in the New York Times.’ (Stevano, Rosimina, Jamieson, 2021).
In this video, Dr Sara Stevano provides a mapping of meanings of essential work that resulted from her research on how this terminology was used in different ways in the Global South and North. Explore how Covid exacerbated poverty, and widened gender and social inequalities.
Commodification of social reproduction
The commercialisation of breast milk provision and its trade across borders raises new questions for studies on social reproduction and discourses on motherhood and child development.
In this video Dr Michal Nahman explores the motivation behind the research on commercial human milk chain in India, and how this led her and her co-author, Professor Newman, onto the curation of the ‘This is Essential Work’ exhibition.
This is essential work
Artists from the ‘This Is Essential Work’ shared their experiences and motivations behind their artwork. Listen to the voices of numerous artists from across a range of countries that speak to the questions about the value of reproductive work today.
About us
OU Economics is about real-world economics: through a pluralist approach to the subject, we teach the analytical techniques and practical skills required to understand the world of production, employment, spending and borrowing, and the effects of government policy and technical innovation. Our economics degree programmes and modules are regularly updated to reflect the latest research and events.
The OU Economics Seminar Series promotes high-quality research bringing together academics to exchange, share and engage in dialogue with policymakers, practitioners, industry representatives and members of the public. With an ethos of inclusivity and respect for diverse realms of economic expertise, the seminar series will bring together those working on current challenges across a broad range of research interests: Social Policy, Personal Finance, Innovation, Macroeconomics, Development Economics, Health, Inequality and Employment, Philosophy and History of Economics.
Watch and listen to the other podcasts in this series
-
Solving the care crisis with public investment
Watch now to access more details of Solving the care crisis with public investmentDr Jerome De Henau, Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University, presents research showing that greater public investment in care can complement other urgent policy objectives.
Level: 2 Intermediate
-
Fiscal policy in the post-financial crisis era: debates and lessons learned
Watch now to access more details of Fiscal policy in the post-financial crisis era: debates and lessons learnedAfter the global financial crisis, fierce debates over the role of fiscal policy broke out among economists, policymakers and the public at large. Are lessons learned for when the next crisis arrives? Did the legacy of the devastating impact of austerity affect the rationale of fiscal policy response after the pandemic?
Level: 2 Intermediate
-
Climate change, sovereign debt and the looming debt crisis in the global south
Watch now to access more details of Climate change, sovereign debt and the looming debt crisis in the global southThe countries that contribute the least to climate change are facing the greatest financing difficulties in addressing its impacts. What do we know about how climate change will affect the macroeconomy?
Level: 2 Intermediate
-
Why grow a tree? Barriers and boosters for landowners to adopt agroforestry
Watch now to access more details of Why grow a tree? Barriers and boosters for landowners to adopt agroforestryPlanting trees can align environmental and development goals and integrate sustainable practices into rural livelihoods. However, there are many challenges in adopting agroforestry practices.
Level: 2 Intermediate
Study a free economics course
-
Economics and the 2008 crisis: a Keynesian view
Learn more to access more details of Economics and the 2008 crisis: a Keynesian viewThis free course, Economics and the 2008 crisis: a Keynesian view, looks at how Keynes's theories revolutionised thinking about the causes of crises and unemployment. Keynes's thinking on how to reduce these problems was very influential with economists and policy makers for several decades following the 1930s. The economic downturn that started...
-
Exploring economics: the secret life of t-shirts
Learn more to access more details of Exploring economics: the secret life of t-shirtsThis free course, Exploring economics: the secret life of t-shirts, aims to describe what goes into making and selling t-shirts. Which resources, which markets, who is involved, the income people get, the income and value they create are all discussed. You will explore these questions at different stages of the production of a t-shirt, and ...
-
Understanding economic inequality
Learn more to access more details of Understanding economic inequalityThis free course, Understanding economic inequality, explores the causes of economic inequality in modern times and its consequences for success for the economy. The course will encourage you to reflect on your personal experiences of inequality before looking at how the issue is approached in economics. You will study some of the different...
Rate and Review
Rate this video
Review this video
Log into OpenLearn to leave reviews and join in the conversation.
Video reviews