There is no life
26.02.2026
In the collective imagination and media narrative, labor exploitation is often seen as an exceptional phenomenon, limited to specific sectors of the labor market, such as agriculture and, more recently, food delivery. A group of sociologists from the Universities of Padua and Genoa, funded by PNRR funds, has delved into this issue in two sectors generally not associated with labor exploitation: tourism and shipbuilding.
The aim of the research is to understand the processes that generate exploitative conditions and the various forms in which they manifest. These sectors are known for their high level of informality and the presence of various degrees of normalized labor exploitation, involving both native and migrant workers.
The video "There is no life" explores these aspects through the testimonies of workers from different backgrounds, who share experiences often not recognized as labor exploitation, but which would fall within the legal definition.
To stimulate public reflection, the testimonies are accompanied by the text of Article 603-bis of the Italian Penal Code, which sanctions the crimes of "illegal intermediation and labour exploitation".
The research group includes: Francesca Alice Vianello and Nicola Quondamatteo from the University of Padua; Laura Scudieri, Emanuela Abbatecola, and Luca Daminelli from the University of Genoa; Andrea Torre from the Medì Study Centre.
The video was produced by Stefano Collizzolli.
