The economic and social restructuring that has been taking place for approximately three decades has significantly affected not only the nature of work but also its role within the production process and society at large.

The use of new technologies and the trajectory of European societies towards a knowledge society have created new data and provoked a widening of economic and social inequalities among new social groups. The high-risk groups are not the same as in the past. Knowledge and possession of skills are significant factors that demarcate, in today's era, the poor, the unemployed, and the socially excluded.

At this stage, work does not seem to exploit these technological advancements as one would expect for its benefit. At the same time, under the pressure of globalization and economic and demographic constraints, there is a proliferation of new forms of work and a mismatch between social needs and the supply of services from the social protection system.

What then is the future of work? A return to the past, to the era of brutal capitalism, or a leap forward? The answer is and will be solely political.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]