Topic: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World
Presenter: Allison Pugh, Ph.D.
Interviewer: Nick Hatzis, M.D.
Date: Oct. 23, 2024
Location: TBD
Program Information: Pugh is a Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University whose research and teaching focus on how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at home and work, and how economic trends – from job insecurity to commodification to automation – can make that harder. She is the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. A nice take by Pugh on the AI revolution from a sociological stance. She developed the concept of "connective labor," referring to work that requires emotional recognition and interpersonal skills. This book is about the primacy of "being seen," of listening with empathy towards understanding and witnessing, and reflecting. She argues for the importance of connective labor in the face of the army of chatbots and system reboots. A perfect program for those seeking human connection (i.e., all of us).