Filipino mothers and their crowdworking narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic

Date

1-2023

Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

College

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Mark Oliver S. Llangco

Restrictions

Restricted: Not available to the general public and to those bound by the confidentiality agreement. Access is available only after consultation with author/thesis adviser.

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Abstract

The present study is concerned with the lived experiences of Filipino mothers who rely on crowdwork or jobs mediated through online labor platforms for their income in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Narrative interviews were conducted with eight participants to collect data on Filipino mothers' local experiences of the global crowdwork labor market. The study aimed to examine how crowdworkers from a Global South country faced vulnerability to precarity as women during a global health and economic crisis. To achieve this research goal, the study analyzed the collected data through thematic analysis and a holistic comparison of narratives. The analysis generated three thematic claims. The first theme describes how Filipino mothers pursue crowdwork despite its precarity because they view it as a viable employment alternative. The second theme describes how participants experienced compromised physical and mental health because of the accumulated stress of crowdworking combined with uncontrollable personal circumstances. Finally, the third theme describes how they overcame precarious dimensions of work through human support systems. This analysis highlights the gendered precarity Filipino women face as crowdworkers. These risks involved in crowdwork are exacerbated by gendered family roles, a lack of social welfare in the Philippines for working mothers, and the economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Language

English

LC Subject

Precarious employment -- Philippines. -- Personal narratives, Gig economy -- Philippines, Mothers -- Employment -- Personal narratives

Call Number

LG 993.5 2023 S7 P35

Document Type

Thesis

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