Cross-cutting Precariousness: Values, Work and Inequality in Post-2008 Spain

Precariousness has been used frequently in recent anthropological debates to designate the subjective and material worsening of living conditions experienced by people around the world. However, it is uncommon to see studies where both elements are carefully juxtaposed to illuminate wider processes of inclusion and exclusion. Starting from its application in the context of post-2008 Spain, we show how precariousness can have different meanings for people, depending on their economic and cultural backgrounds. By exploring two contrasting cases, we show similarities and differences in the ways people experience and act upon the changes they have undergone during and after the crisis. We contend that analysing how both material and subjective precariousness are articulated, through comparative case studies, can illuminate the ways in which crisis is transforming 'the condition of work' to deepen social inequalities.