Silicon Welly : the rise of platform capitalism and the paradoxes of precarity in Wellington City : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand

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dc.confidentialEmbargo : No
dc.contributor.advisorMorris, Carolyn
dc.contributor.authorHalley, Jessica
dc.date.accessioned2024-10-03T02:02:41Z
dc.date.available2024-10-03T02:02:41Z
dc.date.issued2024-09-20
dc.description.abstractThis thesis addresses a central question: why do digital workers in Wellington’s tech sector persist despite the inherent precarity of platform capitalism? Examining the career histories of members of the Enspiral Network, a community focused on social entrepreneurship, reveals the paradoxical nature of subjectivity in digital labour. The research employs ethnographic methods, including life histories and narrative analysis, to explore the intersection of software materiality, neoliberal political economy, and Silicon Valley-inspired discourses. It investigates how digital workers navigate the precariousness of platform capitalism through emotional investment in programming and strategic career adaptations. Findings highlight the distinctive influence of Wellington’s cultural, political, and economic landscape on digital labour. The city’s counter-cultural ethos and state-driven entrepreneurial initiatives foster unique collaborative practices and open-source contributions within the tech sector. These elements collectively shape a hybrid form of platform capitalism that challenges traditional capitalist models. In conclusion, this thesis contributes to the understanding of contemporary labour by emphasizing the role of place, subjectivity, and paradox in the production end of platform capitalism. It underscores the active agency of digital workers in constructing their careers and identities amidst precarious conditions, offering insights into the broader implications of digital labour in the twenty-first century.
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/71585
dc.publisherMassey University
dc.rights©The Author
dc.subjectComputer programmers
dc.subjectEmployment
dc.subjectPrecarious employment
dc.subjectComputer software
dc.subjectDevelopment
dc.subjectGig economy
dc.subjectNew Zealand
dc.subjectWellington
dc.subjectSocial capital (Sociology)
dc.subjectethnography
dc.subjectplatform capitalism
dc.subjectcomputer code
dc.subjectentrepreneurialism
dc.subjectdigital labour
dc.subjectprecarity
dc.subject.anzsrc380111 Labour economics
dc.subject.anzsrc440107 Social and cultural anthropology
dc.titleSilicon Welly : the rise of platform capitalism and the paradoxes of precarity in Wellington City : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
thesis.degree.disciplineSocial Anthropology
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy
thesis.description.doctoral-citation-abridgedThis thesis examines how digital workers in Wellington’s tech sector persist in the face of platform capitalism’s inherent precarity. Ethnographic research highlights how Wellington’s distinct cultural and entrepreneurial landscape influences digital labour practices, contributing to our understanding of how workers construct careers and identities within precarious labour markets.
thesis.description.doctoral-citation-longThis thesis critically examines the paradoxical persistence of digital workers in Wellington’s tech sector amidst the inherent precarity of platform capitalism. Through ethnographic research focused on the Enspiral Network, it reveals how Wellington’s countercultural ethos, combined with state-driven entrepreneurial initiatives, fosters a distinctive hybrid form of platform capitalism. By foregrounding the roles of place, subjectivity, and emotional investment, the research offers a nuanced contribution to contemporary labour studies. It provides insights into how digital workers construct their careers and identities within precarious labour markets.
thesis.description.name-pronounciationJessica Halley
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