Is job insecurity still relevant? Unpacking the meaning of "job" and "insecurity" in today's economy

The construct of job insecurity has captured the attention of researchers for nearly five decades. Yet, in that time, the nature of what is meant by a “job” (particularly throughout the Global North) has shifted (e.g., the rise in gig workers, short-term contracts, and freelancing), with concurrent implications for how we might best conceptualize “insecurity” in those jobs. Thus, in our chapter, we propose to describe some of the most prevalent employment arrangements (i.e., what do we mean by a “job”?) and unpack the meaning of “insecurity” across a range of modern employment contexts. In doing so, we ask: for whom, where and how is job insecurity a relevant stressor? Moreover, what are the conceptual and methodological implications of these answers for future research on job insecurity? In doing so, we hope to offer suggestions for adapting job insecurity research to account for the changing meaning and context of work in many parts of the world.