Interpreting one’s way through the Gig Economy: Neoliberal shifts and the platformisation of interpretation work

This chapter introduces the evolving landscape of interpreting within the context of neoliberalism and the gig economy. It explores how the interpreting industry is increasingly shifting towards gig work, aligning with broader neoliberal economic trends of labour markets platformisation. Employing a critical sociological lens, the chapter highlights the perils and promises of the gig economy in relation to interpreting work. Raising concerns about the exploitative nature of the gig economy and the dynamics at play among stakeholders, it examines the impact of algorithms, digital labour mediation, fragmentation, rate pressure, and expectations of availability in reducing costs and increasing efficiency, all while devaluing the human labour involved in the interpreting industry. By proposing a sociological analysis of the gig economy for interpreting services, it contributes to open a debate on the neoliberal foundations of this evolving model, extending knowledge on platform-based and digital labour-oriented interpreting studies.