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  • Department of Global Development
  • Global Development
Aaron Benanav, assistant professor, Department of Global Development

Academic focus: Labor, technology and economic development

Lab website: www.aaronbenanav.com

Research summary: My research investigates the historical and structural forces shaping contemporary labor markets, with a particular emphasis on the global decline of manufacturing employment and the expansion of the service sector. Through a combination of historical analysis and social theory, I examine the relationship between these economic trends and social phenomena like unemployment, precarity and inequality. My work challenges dominant narratives around automation and job loss by situating these developments within broader historical processes, emphasizing the role of political and economic institutions in shaping labor market outcomes. Additionally, I explore alternative futures for work and social provisioning, contributing to discussions on how societies can address challenges related to unemployment, inequality and economic insecurity in a rapidly changing – and rapidly warming – world.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I enjoy cooking and experimenting with a wide range of regional cuisines. I’m an avid hiker and often spend time exploring nature. I also prioritize fitness. In addition, I enjoy traveling and reading nonfiction and fiction, with a particular interest in science fiction.

What are three adjectives people might use to describe you?

Approachable, passionate, curious

What (specifically) brought you to Cornell CALS?

I am proud to be part of a public institution that attracts a diverse student body, including many from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds. The diversity of perspectives, both in terms of where students come from and their aspirations, contributes to a dynamic learning environment. I was also drawn to Cornell CALS because of its deep commitment to addressing global problems in tangible and local ways.

What do you think is important for people to understand about your field?

While popular narratives often focus on the potential for new technologies like AI to displace jobs on a massive scale, the research my colleagues and I do emphasizes the importance of examining these predictions critically. Historical evidence shows that while technology does change the nature of work, the displacement of jobs is often overstated. Jobs evolve more than they disappear. That insight should encourage us to focus on legal frameworks, labor organizations and social institutions, which play a significant role in determining how technology transforms work. My field encourages a more grounded and realistic approach to understanding these dynamics. I hope that insights from my field will help social and political actors to push for technological development that really benefits everyone.

If you could relate your work to one of the four transdisciplinary moonshots, which one would you most closely align with and why? They are: Redesigning 21st Century Agri-Food SystemsAccelerating Holistic Climate SolutionsLeading in Synthetic Biology; and Pioneering Life Science Breakthroughs.

I would align my work most closely with the Accelerating Holistic Climate Solutions moonshot. My research can help us understand the broader economic and social transformations needed to address the climate crisis, which is not only an ecological challenge but also a deeply social one. By addressing the ethical and political dimensions of climate action, I aim to contribute to solutions that are not only technologically sound but also socially just and widely supported.

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