Banca de DEFESA: WANESSA MABEL CRUZ DE OLIVEIRA

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : WANESSA MABEL CRUZ DE OLIVEIRA
DATE: 20/02/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Remoto
TITLE:

“They say we are free. How can anyone use their freedom like that?”: The meanings of freedom in the Uberization of the workforce.

KEY WORDS:

Uberization; Platformization; Freedom; Meanings.

PAGES: 127
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Psicologia
SUMMARY:

Digital service platforms, such as those for the delivery of goods, present themselves as part of the “sharing economy” and promote the idea of autonomy and freedom for workers. This narrative, however, masks the precariousness of work and new forms of management, algorithmic control, and work organization. The overall objective of the study is to analyze how Uberized delivery workers construct meanings of freedom. The study is based on Historical-Cultural Psychology, using in particular the concept of meaning from Vigotski. We used semi-structured interviews, conducted in Natal/RN, Goiânia/GO, and Uberlândia/MG (108 participants in total). Data analysis was performed using the Core Meaning method. We obtained five core themes. “Six of one, half a dozen of the other” discusses the contradiction between workers' perception of freedom and the description of oppression in platform work, which is seen as better than other activities despite the similarities in oppression. “As needed” shows how platforms use social structures to keep workers available, shifting responsibility to material need. “The most visible face of subordination” describes how surveillance and control are perceived through close human figures, minimizing the role of the platform. In “Who takes the risk?”, delivery work is seen as free because it contrasts with formal work, but this freedom is counterbalanced by risks, which are seen as a personal characteristic of the worker. Finally, “It keeps going, it keeps going...” addresses the perception of platform work as temporary, but with fragile plans for the future that make career transitions difficult.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1033183 - FELLIPE COELHO LIMA
Externo à Instituição - CÁSSIO ADRIANO BRAZ DE AQUINO - UFC
Externa à Instituição - KATIA MAHEIRIE - UFSC