NEW RESEARCH | How the gig economy shapes self-employed work and self-image

Uncertainty and precarious working conditions are a daily reality for freelance cultural workers. But there are also many positive aspects to being a small business owner in a gig economy.

Graphic designer, copywriter, social media specialist, illustrator, web designer and photographer. These are examples of professions in the cultural sector, many of which are self-employed and obtain work through various digital platforms. In the platform economy, often referred to as the gig economy, digital platforms play a role in mediating work. A new doctoral thesis by Daniel Karlsson at Lund University analyzes the experiences of freelance cultural workers and how the platforms shape their work and self-image.

He shows that this group often faces insecurity and precarious working conditions, and many combine many platforms to create multiple sources of income. It is a strategy known as ‘patchwork’. This strategy is both a response to and an effect of the fragmented labor market, where freelancers combine income streams from different digital channels. But patchwork also means increased workloads and demands for constant availability. This affects the professional identity of the group and leads to a workload where the boundaries between work and leisure are almost non-existent.

Freelance cultural workers justify precarious work through a balance of self-realization and self-exploitation.

The thesis also highlights a key practice: self-marketing on the platforms. Freelancers invest time and energy in building their digital brands and adapting to algorithmic demands. This reflects a broader trend of self-branding as a solution to precarious work and as a way for individuals to position themselves in the digital economy.

The research highlights how these freelance cultural workers justify precarious work through a balance of self-realization and self-exploitation. Many see insecurity as a prerequisite for freedom and creativity, but this often comes with psychological costs, such as stress and risk of burnout. The thesis also points out that this type of digital freelancing, with its demands for constant adaptability and autonomy, may become normative in broader labor market contexts.

More about the thesis
The thesis is written by Daniel Karlsson at the Department of Sociology, Lund University and is called At least I have freedom: Subjectivity and self-precarization among digital freelancers in the Swedish cultural industries. The defense took place recently.