The intersectional approach has become relevant to research in different fields of the social sciences (anthropology, economics, sociology, etc.). Its importance in work studies has been highlighted mainly from studies linked to the precariousness of work and employment. These investigations have allowed a sociohistorical and political understanding of work, as well as of the societies of the global south. In this presentation we will analyze some of these research experiences, based on the results of an investigation carried out in Chile (2016 - 2022) and another aimed at a UN Report on "poor work" in Latin America.

Human rights based approaches are widely used to address various social and political problems in the field of education, child care, health and social protection. By stipulating an internationally agreed set of norms, human-rights based approaches provide a stronger basis for citizens to make claims on their states and for holding states to account for their duties to enhance the access of their citizens to the realisation of their social, economic and political rights. This presentation is based on ethnographic studies conducted in India, Nepal and Sierra Leone. It shows the role of human rights in re-shaping of education and social policy and makes a particular focus on the impact of these approaches on empowerment of marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities and indigenous women.

Publications

Samonova, Elena. (2022). Human Rights Through the Eyes of Bonded Labourers in India. Journal of Modern Slavery: A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Human Trafficking Solutions, 7(2): 82-96.

Samonova, Elena et al. (2021). “An Empty Bag Cannot Stay Upright: The costs of “free” primary education in Sierra Leone”. International Journal of Educational Development 87: 102500.

Samonova, Elena et al. (2022). Picturing Dangers: Children’s Concepts of Safety and Risks in Rural Sierra Leone. Children and Society 37: 906–924.

Under what conditions are allocative claims recognized by a social group as representing legitimate needs instead of mere subjective desires? As a principle of justice, need is considered salient in solidary communities. People must perceive and experience social bonds with others in order to make these others’ fate a precept of their behaviour towards them. The recognition of need claims depends on the plausibility of the claim to others, which depends on the knowledge and understanding of the conditions under which the claim is made. Three factors potentially affecting the recognition of need by others are explored: First, an increase in the size of the need claim is expected to lower the probability of need recognition. A critical point is the equal distribution: Needs below the equal distribution tend to be superseded by the latter while need above the equal distribution tend to be rejected by others. Second, the transparency of information about a need threshold is hypothesized to raise need satisfaction, but the threshold also serves as an anchor which lowers allocations to people with small needs. Third, according to the minimal group theory, belonging to the same group is expected to raise need satisfaction in comparison to outsiders. These expectations are tested and largely corroborated in laboratory experiments.