‘There is No Future in it’: Pandemic and ride hailing hustle in Africa

Mohammad Amir Anwar; Jack Odeo; Elly Otieno

doi:10.1111/ilr.12364

‘There is No Future in it’: Pandemic and ride hailing hustle in Africa

Mohammad Amir Anwar, Jack Odeo, Elly Otieno

School of Social and Political Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ride-hailing drivers in Africa. It argues that though ride-hailing offers paid-work to some African workers, the commodified and informalised nature of this work results in poor job quality. The effects of which are greatly amplified during the pandemic. Drawing on a mixed methods approach: in-depth interviews with ride-hailing drivers in Nairobi and digital ethnography, it also provides a narrative of 'hustle' to outline strategies of resilience, reworking, and resistance among informal workers. It concludes by highlighting the need for adequate regulatory frameworks and on-the-ground solidarity networks to ensure decent working conditions and to push back against precarity in the gig economy.

Original language	English
Journal	International Labour Review
Early online date	22 Apr 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12364
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 Apr 2022

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

ride-hailing
gig economy
Africa
Covid-19
hustling
platforms
Uber
pandemic
gender

Access to Document

10.1111/ilr.12364

AnwarEtal2022ILRThereIsNoFutureInIt
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Anwar, M.A., Odeo, J.O. and Otieno, E. (2022), ‘There is No Future in it’: Pandemic and Ride Hailing Hustle in Africa. International Labour Review. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12364, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/ilr.12364. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
Accepted author manuscript, 590 KB

4 Article

Work futures: Globalisation, planetary markets, and uneven developments in the gig economy
Anwar, M. A., Schaefer, S. & Golušin, S., 6 Aug 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Globalizations. p. 1-19 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
We endure because we need money: Everyday violence, Covid-19, and domestic workers in South Africa
Anwar, M. A. & Brukwe, K., 2023, In: Canadian Journal of Development Studies. 44, 4, p. 575-593
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
Platforms of inequality: Gender dynamics of digital labour in Africa
Anwar, M. A., 7 Dec 2022, In: Gender and Development. 30, 3, p. 747-764 18 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File

Cite this

@article{5b74f6bd72324dafa238fb643be832f6,

title = "{\textquoteleft}There is No Future in it{\textquoteright}: Pandemic and ride hailing hustle in Africa",

abstract = "This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ride-hailing drivers in Africa. It argues that though ride-hailing offers paid-work to some African workers, the commodified and informalised nature of this work results in poor job quality. The effects of which are greatly amplified during the pandemic. Drawing on a mixed methods approach: in-depth interviews with ride-hailing drivers in Nairobi and digital ethnography, it also provides a narrative of 'hustle' to outline strategies of resilience, reworking, and resistance among informal workers. It concludes by highlighting the need for adequate regulatory frameworks and on-the-ground solidarity networks to ensure decent working conditions and to push back against precarity in the gig economy.",

keywords = "ride-hailing, gig economy, Africa, Covid-19, hustling, platforms, Uber, pandemic, gender",

author = "Anwar, {Mohammad Amir} and Jack Odeo and Elly Otieno",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the editors and anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and feedback which has improved this paper. We are also grateful to the British Academy (Grant No. SRG20\200635) and the University of Edinburgh for funding our research. Publisher Copyright: 2022.",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1111/ilr.12364",

language = "English",

journal = "International Labour Review",

issn = "0020-7780",

publisher = "International Labour Office",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘There is No Future in it’

T2 - Pandemic and ride hailing hustle in Africa

AU - Anwar, Mohammad Amir

AU - Odeo, Jack

AU - Otieno, Elly

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the editors and anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and feedback which has improved this paper. We are also grateful to the British Academy (Grant No. SRG20\200635) and the University of Edinburgh for funding our research. Publisher Copyright: 2022.

PY - 2022/4/22

Y1 - 2022/4/22

N2 - This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ride-hailing drivers in Africa. It argues that though ride-hailing offers paid-work to some African workers, the commodified and informalised nature of this work results in poor job quality. The effects of which are greatly amplified during the pandemic. Drawing on a mixed methods approach: in-depth interviews with ride-hailing drivers in Nairobi and digital ethnography, it also provides a narrative of 'hustle' to outline strategies of resilience, reworking, and resistance among informal workers. It concludes by highlighting the need for adequate regulatory frameworks and on-the-ground solidarity networks to ensure decent working conditions and to push back against precarity in the gig economy.

AB - This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ride-hailing drivers in Africa. It argues that though ride-hailing offers paid-work to some African workers, the commodified and informalised nature of this work results in poor job quality. The effects of which are greatly amplified during the pandemic. Drawing on a mixed methods approach: in-depth interviews with ride-hailing drivers in Nairobi and digital ethnography, it also provides a narrative of 'hustle' to outline strategies of resilience, reworking, and resistance among informal workers. It concludes by highlighting the need for adequate regulatory frameworks and on-the-ground solidarity networks to ensure decent working conditions and to push back against precarity in the gig economy.

KW - ride-hailing

KW - gig economy

KW - Africa

KW - Covid-19

KW - hustling

KW - platforms

KW - Uber

KW - pandemic

KW - gender

U2 - 10.1111/ilr.12364

DO - 10.1111/ilr.12364

M3 - Article

C2 - 35602285

SN - 0020-7780

JO - International Labour Review

JF - International Labour Review

ER -

‘There is No Future in it’: Pandemic and ride hailing hustle in Africa

Abstract / Description of output

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Work futures: Globalisation, planetary markets, and uneven developments in the gig economy

We endure because we need money: Everyday violence, Covid-19, and domestic workers in South Africa

Platforms of inequality: Gender dynamics of digital labour in Africa

Cite this