What Holds Work Together? Institutions, Regulations and Collective Actions to Recompose a Fragmented World

The ADAPT International Conference returns to Bergamo (Italy) from 20 to 22 October 2027, for the 16th edition of the conference series The New Great Transformation of Work.

At the heart of the next conference lies a question: what holds work together? Changes in production systems, the diversity of employment arrangements and the fragmentation of career paths call for reflection on the ties that make work a source of participation, protection and belonging.

The conference will therefore explore the role of institutions, regulations and collective action in bringing this fragmented world together. What tools can connect increasingly diverse experiences and interests? How are representation and collective bargaining changing? Which institutions can support transitions and help build new forms of solidarity?

Taking an international, comparative and interdisciplinary approach, the conference will provide a forum for dialogue among scholars, representatives of the social partners, institutions and labour market practitioners, bringing research into conversation with practical experience.

Below are the key dates and details for taking part:

January 2027: publication of the Call for abstracts and workshops.
February–mid-April 2027: submission period for abstracts and workshop proposals through the dedicated online portal.
End of May 2027: notification of evaluation results.
End of June 2027: deadline for authors and workshop proposers to confirm their attendance in person.
From mid-September 2027: conference programme available online.
Early October 2027: submission of draft full papers for discussion at the conference; submission is encouraged but not compulsory.
20–22 October 2027: conference in Bergamo.
End of November 2027: deadline for submitting final full papers, for authors wishing to have their contributions considered for publication.

Attendance is free of charge, subject to registration via the dedicated online form: https://internationalconference.adapt.it/registration/