Date of Graduation

5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Communication (MA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Communication

Advisor/Mentor

Abraham Khan

Committee Member

Ryan Neville-Shepard

Second Committee Member

Meredith Neville-Shepard

Keywords

Neoliberalism; Political economy; Quiet quitting; Resistance; Social class

Abstract

This thesis provides a critical/cultural analysis of the quiet quitting trend which took social media by storm in 2022. Quiet quitting became a popular contemporary method to resisting three hurdles of the American workforce: economic turbulence, overwhelming labor standards, and decreasing mental wellness – in hopes of achieving more work-life balance. The analysis applies Marxist theory to contemporary neoliberalism through three case studies of individuals who share their quiet quitting experience. The first chapter covers the case of a K-12 educator who prompts the analysis of out-of-pocket classroom expenses, teacher unions, and the implications for collective action in neoliberal times. The second chapter analyzes expectations to work overtime without being properly compensated through the case of an IT worker who utilized quiet quitting as a workplace boundary. Through the case of a gig worker, the third chapter illuminates quiet quitting as a potential coping strategy for workers facing adverse psychological outcomes of hustle culture. This thesis intends to emphasize how the quiet quitting phenomenon communicates resistance to corporations. I hope to illuminate the power of community and collective action by historically contextualizing labor movements that have achieved great social progress, even when limited under capitalism. Furthermore, I contend quiet quitting is a modification of previous resistance practice, as it is a hyper-individualized method taking place on a mass scale. Ultimately, I hope to add to the critical scholarship perspectives about topics surrounding work-life balance and press that community and collective action achieves great social progress.

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