ABSTRACT
In this period of late-capitalism and austerity, new areas of work are emerging outside the current system of regulations, and they seem to be expanding out of all proportion. Our contribution proposes the concept of 'hybrid areas of work' as an alternative to the more common one of 'grey zones'. This chapter aims to conduct a discussion that is wide-ranging but starts from a specific context, that of Italy. It focuses on a hybrid area of work which falls formally under the heading of 'self-employment', but which is extremely heterogeneous in its composition. Indeed, so-called 'project workers' comprise both 'dependent self-employed workers', hired on a self-employed contract only because this was the cheapest option for the employer, and highly skilled professionals, who work project by project in a mode of work organisation typical of freelancers. It concludes that the relationship among emerging hybrid areas of work, new inequalities, and social and political action.
