Events
With the rise of A.I. and advancements like self-checkout and automation, the future of work has never been more uncertain. Drawing on interviews and observations with people across a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Allison Pugh argues that much work relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other’s humanity. Her book ‘The Last Human Job’ is a call for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly alienated and automated world.
Allison is a professor of sociology and chair of the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at the University of Virginia. Her previous book is The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The New Republic.