ABSTRACT
The distribution of precarious employment by social group and sector is an important focus of national and comparative research. However, its spatial distribution has received less attention in the literature. Precarious employment by definition is insecure, lower paid and unprotected compared with ‘standard’ work norms. The literature focuses on the resurgence of such work, especially associated with certain employment forms such as temporary, part-time and self-employment. However, there are longstanding spatial dimensions of labour market insecurity that have been largely overlooked in the recent interest in precarious employment. Three such dimensions are regional, rural/urban and intra-urban employment disparities. Precariousness is created not just by specific job characteristics but by the spatial contexts in which such work occurs. Precarious employment affects individuals in particular locations and is shaped by spatial dynamics.
