1
of
1
Smart Machines and Service Work
Automation in an Age of Stagnation
Series: Field Notes
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 46 ratings, 5 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Hardback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock
Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Smart Machines and Service Work. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book is essential reading for students and scholars of economics, sociology, and labour studies, as well as policymakers and readers interested in the social and economic impacts of technology and automation. It suits anyone seeking a critical perspective on the future of work and inequality in a digital age.
Latest News
The First Ever NZ Children's Book Week!
We are so excited to celebrate kids reading books with the first NZ Children's Book...
What Lizzy's Family Loved on a Long Weekend Away
We recently went on a family long weekend away to Ohakune, a new spot for...
Why We Still Love Pokémon
Pokémon has changed enormously since I was trading cards at school and playing it on...
Paw Patrol : The Dino Movie Toys Have Arrived!
The new Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie toys have arrived & are ready to ship!
New Releases to add to your TBR (11th August)
There's a new release for everyone this week - here's your TBR roundup! Lizzy shares...
See moreA trenchant expose of the effects of automation on worker's lives
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
A trenchant exposé of the effects of automation on workers' lives
In recent decades, digital devices have reshaped daily life, while tech companies' stock prices have thrust them to the forefront of the business world. In this rapid, global development, the promise of a new machine age has been accompanied by worries about accelerated joblessness thanks to new forms of automation.
Jason E. Smith looks behind the techno-hype to lay out the realities of a period of economic slowdown and expanding debt: low growth rates and an increase of labour-intensive jobs at the bottom of the service sector. He shows how increasing inequality and poor working conditions have led to new forms of workers' struggles. Ours is less an age of automation, Smith contends, than one in which stagnation is intertwined with class conflict.
Series: Field Notes
View all-
Hinterland
An exploration of America's declining heartland, the Hinterland. Over the last forty years, the landscape of the USA has been fundamentally transformed. It is partially visible in the ascendance of glittering coastal hubs for finance, infotech and the so-called 'creative class'. But this is only the tip of an economic iceberg, the bulk of which lies in the darkness of...Paperback$4600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
On Community
We need community to live. But what does it look like? Why does it often feel like it's slipping away? We are all hinged to some definition of a community, be it as simple as where we live, as complex as the beliefs we share, or as intentional as those we call family. In an episodic personal essay, Casey Plett...Paperback$4600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Endgame
Globalisation as we know it is over. Governments continue to embrace regressive industrial policies, geopolitical tensions are rising higher and higher, and resurgent far-right movements are threatening the foundations of contemporary democracies. In this book, Jamie Merchant traces the roots of this decline beyond the oft-blamed failures of the post-Cold War era. Instead, Merchant argues that the great political and...Hardback$5300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
On Class
Shortlisted for the 2024 Speaker's Book Award. Nominated for the 2024 Heritage Toronto Book Award. A Hamilton Review of Books Best Book of 2023. Deborah Dundas is a journalist who grew up poor and almost didn't make it to university. In On Class, she talks to writers, activists, those who work with the poor, and those who are poor about...PaperbackSold Out -
On Browsing
Nominated for the 2023 Heritage Toronto Book Award A defence of the dying art of losing an afternoon—and gaining new appreciation—amidst the bins and shelves of bricks-and-mortar shops. Written during the pandemic, when the world was marooned at home and consigned to scrolling screens, On Browsing chronicles what we've lost through online shopping, streaming, and the relentless digitisation of culture....PaperbackSold Out -
On the Origin of the Worst Pandemic in 100 Years
In this compelling whodunnit, Elaine Dewar reads the science, follows the money, and connects the geopolitical interests to the spin. When the first TV newscast described a SARS-like flu affecting a distant Chinese metropolis, investigative journalist Elaine Dewar started asking questions: Was SARS-CoV-2 something that came from nature, as leading scientists insisted, or did it come from a lab, and...PaperbackSold Out -
On Failure
Writing is, and always will be, an act defined by failure. The best plan is to just get used to it. Failure is a topic discussed in every creative writing department in the world, but this is the book every beginning writer should have on their shelf to prepare them. Less a guide to writing and more a guide to...PaperbackSold Out -
Smart Machines and Service Work
A trenchant exposé of the effects of automation on workers' lives In recent decades, digital devices have reshaped daily life, while tech companies' stock prices have thrust them to the forefront of the business world. In this rapid, global development, the promise of a new machine age has been accompanied by worries about accelerated joblessness thanks to new forms of...HardbackSold Out
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised as one of the most insightful books on the social consequences of technological change, Smart Machines and Service Work offers a reality check on the promises of automation. Critics commend Smith’s Marxist analysis of the service sector's precariat and the persistence of economic stagnation despite technological advances. Reviews note its thoughtful challenge to mainstream ideas of a society moving towards abundance through IT and AI, calling it a vital guide to understanding contemporary labour dynamics.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781789143188
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 16 November 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 138.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 160
About the Author
Jason E. Smith lives in Los Angeles. He has written extensively on contemporary politics and political economy, in journals including the Brooklyn Rail, Critical Inquiry, Radical Philosophy, SAQ and elsewhere.
More from Education & Reference
View all-
The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseThe Age Code
What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' — Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' — Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' — Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe there’s one...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1 by Scotty Morrison is the ultimate companion for anyone eager to learn the beautiful and complex Maori language. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to brush up on your skills, this workbook offers a structured and engaging way to immerse yourself in te reo Maori. Designed to be accessible regardless of your starting...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseSuicidal Empathy
The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...Paperback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
One Last Question, Prime Minister
From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New Release2027 Witch's Diary - Southern Hemisphere
From the bestselling authors of Spellcasting, which has now sold over 250,000 copies worldwide, comes the essential witchy journal to plan your days, harness magick, and connect with higher powers. Features include: 8" x 6" (8" x 12" open) Beautiful glossy gold gatefold cover Compact size, perfect to carry in your bag and keep on you throughout the day 12-month...Paperback$1999Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Signed CopyNew Release"What Were You Thinking!?"
Everything parents need to know about their baby, child or teen's developing brain to raise resilient, emotional intelligent kids, by globally renowned neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis. 'What were you thinking!?'If you've ever asked this in despair while watching a toddler melt down, a tween push boundaries or a teenager make a truly terrible decision, this book is for you.In "What Were...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Signed CopyNew Release
Go Hard or Go Home
From the front bench to rock bottom: Go Hard or Go Home is Kiri Allan's fearless memoir of ambition, disruption and survival in NZ politics and beyond. Kiri Allan's six-year political career spanned some of the most challenging times in recent history. Events a government might encounter once in a generation stacked up: a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, destructive and deadly...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseRegime Change
From the two reporters who have covered him more closely than perhaps anyone else over the past decade comes this definitive portrait of Donald Trump in the White House and the first year of his second presidency. Based on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented reporting from deep within the administration’s most closely guarded rooms, Regime Change takes the reader into...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Maori Made Easy Workbook 2/Kete 2
Immerse yourself in the richness of the Māori language with Maori Made Easy Workbook 2/Kete 2 by renowned TV personality and passionate te reo Māori advocate, Scotty Morrison. This comprehensive workbook is designed to cater to learners of all levels, making the beautiful language of the Māori people accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Building on the successful approach of the...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Roadmap to Property Success
Ready to ditch the 9-to-5 and build lasting wealth through property? In Roadmap to Property Success, seasoned investor and coach Steve Goodey shares the exact strategies that helped him – and thousands of Kiwis – build sustainable property portfolios from scratch. With real-life lessons, hard-won wisdom, and zero sugar-coating, this is your no-BS guide to property investing in New Zealand....Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Aotearoa in Bloom
Lushly illustrated book about the history and uses of many of New Zealand's native flowering plants and trees, including their significance in te ao Māori. He puāwai, he kōrero. For every flower, a story. Did you know that Aotearoa has more than 2000 species of flowering plants, and that more than 80 per cent of them are found nowhere else...Hardback$4699Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
