[Commlist] The Lab's Quarterly - Call for papers

Subject: “The Lab’s Quarterly” Call for papers


Orient Yourself in the Society of Uncertainty. Life paths and 
Trajectories in the Age of the New/Net/Knowledge Economy

Eds. Franca Settembrini and Elena Gremigni

Recent developments in globalisation processes have produced an 
increasing precariousness in the labour market. The New/Net/Knowledge 
Economy requires a capacity for continuous adaptation to innovations 
following one another at an increasingly accelerated pace, and needs a 
“human capital” prepared to carry out work activities with the best 
possible results in rapidly changing conditions. In this scenario, 
competences have assumed a strategic role, meant primarily, even if not 
exclusively, as a set of resources that are acquired through practice 
and get transformed into useful devices for productive activities.
In the “Knowledge Society”, theoretical knowledge seems to be placed in 
the background, while skills are considered fundamental for overcoming 
the imbalance between job demand and supply (skills mismatch) and 
consequently for economic growth processes. Particularly, in the 
workplace, alongside “hard skills” − formal competences based on the 
knowledge of subjects − so-called transversal competences or “soft 
skills” are increasingly required. Non-formal competences, related to 
the social and emotional dimension, such as perseverance, flexibility, 
self-confidence, communication skills, the ability to work in a team, 
conflict management, etc. are considered decisive aspects in the 
workplace and more and more often school or academic certifications are 
of less importance because they are deemed of little utility in order to 
assess workers’ potential.
Finding your own way in this constantly changing social context has 
become an arduous task especially for young people who no longer possess 
the reference points of past generations. The education agencies are 
investing more and more resources, both economic and human, to try to 
offer students support in choosing their paths. However this is a 
contradictory and paradoxical goal, because attempts to promote 
individual attitudes and potential often collide with the need to 
develop competences that can allow students to find a place within the 
job market. The main aim then seems to be the promotion of the 
acquisition of the “key competences” for 21st century society pointed 
out by the European Union in the context of the Lifelong Learning 
Program, which have assumed a central role in the definition of the 
subsequent “Europe 2020” program. However, even this strategy does not 
offer many guarantees, given that the European Union itself recognises 
the need to continually redefine the objectives of education. It follows 
that the individual is given the difficult task of learning to orientate 
and re-orientate himself/herself throughout the course of his/her existence.
However, what are usually described as personal abilities or attitudes 
are actually paths and trajectories largely marked by social origin. As 
a matter of fact, it is known that students’ socio-economic and cultural 
background is still having a significant impact on their education 
paths, with evident consequences on their professional destiny.
The precariousness of work activities, however, has clear effects not 
only on the economic level, but also on the social one. By failing the 
possibility of taking on a defined role within society through a process 
of identification with a stable job, the identity itself of individuals 
is thrown into crisis. The progressive dissolution of forms of organised 
solidarity, also due to the transformations of the labour market that 
produce a precariousness of human relationships and social protections, 
fosters an ambiguous “yearning for community” which reinforces the 
dangerous polarisation between “in-group” and “out-group”, with the 
increasing importance of nationalistic, localistic, familistic or 
individualistic positions.
The “great recession” that began in 2007 has reinforced these trends 
with clear reverberation also in the political sphere. Therefore, 
especially nowadays, it seems necessary to promote forms of orientation 
that manage to overcome the inequalities of educational opportunities 
and promote autonomous cultural, relational and professional growth in 
accordance with shared values.
For the realization of the special issue of The Lab’s Quarterly on this 
topic, both theoretical contributions and empirical research will be 
accepted. After selecting the abstracts, the essays received will 
undergo a double peer review process.
Scholars interested in participating are invited to send an abstract of 
about 500 words by email to the editors. No Article Processing Charges 
are required.

Elena Gremigni
(elena.gremigni /at/ virgilio.it)

Franca settembrini
(francasettembrini /at/ virgilio.it)


Timeline


31 May 2020: Deadline for abstract submission.

30 June 2020: Review results returned.

31 December 2020: Deadline for paper submission.

31 March 2021: Peer review notifications

30 June 2021: Deadline for final paper submission

September 2021: Special issue publishing



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