The Political Consequences When Jobs Disappear

Research problem and specific questionsAutomation and artificial intelligence have transformed the labor market, and this trend is expected to continue. In this project, we aim to investigate the political implications of dying jobs.

Specifically, we are interested in analysing how occupational decline affects political attitudes, political participation, and party choices. The project will describe the death of jobs in Sweden since the country’s democratization more than a century ago.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the project will examine the political effects of declining jobs for individuals, localities, and organizations.

Data and methodThe project employs a longitudinal and multidisciplinary approach and draws on insights from political science, economics, sociology, and economic and social history.

We will combine data from historical censuses and microdata from Statistics Sweden from the early 1900s with survey data from the Swedish National Election Studies, data on local election results, and evidence from publications issued by trade unions and other associations.Societal relevance and utilisationAnalyzing the political repercussions of declining or dying jobs is highly relevant for several issues currently facing Sweden, including increasing inequalities in the labor market and a polarization of the political arena.

By analyzing historical patterns, we will make important contributions to contemporary societal debates and provide new insights into the interplay between jobs and politics. Plan for project realizationThis is a three-year project which will be implemented in several key steps.

We will first collect the census data and identify the declining jobs over time as well as the characteristics of the groups of people who are affected by these developments. At the same time, we will digitalize the election survey data.

In the second step, we will analyze the data to thoroughly examine the different aspects of the political effects of dying jobs.

Last, we will write up the manuscripts and disseminate the results of our project to the academic community through peer-reviewed publications as well as to policymakers and a wider audience through reports.