In June 2021, the inaugural issue of the International Labor Relations Brief magazine was printed internally at the CULR. The internal publication was coordinated by the International Office of Cooperation and Exchange for editing, translation, and proofreading, with the library handling administrative coordination and publication layout and printing.
The phenomenon of labor relations in industrialized market economies at various historical stages occurred before it happened in China. The conceptual definition, theoretical interpretation, institutional norms, practical case summaries, and research methods of labor relations phenomena have certain reference significance for China. Therefore, translating, borrowing, and transforming the objects, methods, and paradigms of international labor relations research can benefit the deepening of labor relations research in China. However, in China, apart from a few scholars with overseas education experience, most scholars studying labor relations know very little about international literature, including literature on international scholars studying China. So far, there has not been a professional journal dedicated to translating international labor relations literature or a corresponding column in Chinese journals. The lack of appropriate media for rapid, continuous, and systematic introduction of relevant literature hinders the deepening of labor relations research through comparison and mutual learning.
Therefore, we have decided to publish an internal journal called International Labor Relations Brief, which annually starts in 2021. We will select several high-impact international journals on labor relations that are well-known in the industry as the sources of articles, as well as important research reports on labor relations published by international organizations, for simultaneous tracking and translation. Each issue will correspond to current hot topics in labor relations in China, translating full academic papers of high reference value and abstracts of other articles, enabling leaders of government, labor, and capital, researchers, and the CULR's teachers to quickly understand the cutting-edge topics, research paradigms, literature reviews, research conclusions, and policy recommendations in the international academic community, facilitating the deepening of comparative research on relevant topics in China.
Publishing the International Labor Relations Brief has notable practical significance for promoting the development of the labor relations discipline and the prosperity of academic research in labor relations.
Firstly, the research themes, theoretical doctrines, regulatory systems, and practical experiences of labor relations in industrialized market economies and emerging economies can serve as a reference and benchmark for labor relations research in China.
Secondly, understanding and mastering the writing structure and methods of articles and research reports on labor relations in international journals are not only necessary requirements to enrich and enhance the level of teachers and researchers but also essential prerequisites for disseminating and showcasing Chinese solutions and wisdom in labor relations governance.
Lastly, in a larger scope, we find that internationalization is an essential aspect of the construction and development of the discipline of labor relations. Editing the International Labor Relations Brief is an important initiative to enhance the university's disciplinary internationalization.
The first issue of this journal in 2021 is focused on the future of work and its regulation, hence it is named the special issue on “Regulation of Employment in the Digital Economy”. The following is the main content:
The first part is the special feature of this journal, where we have translated in full one of the International Labour Organization's flagship reports for 2021, “World Employment and Social Outlook 2021: The Role of Digital Labour Platforms in Transforming the World of Work”. The report explores how the contemporary platform economy is changing work organization and analyzes the impact of digital labor platforms on businesses, workers, and society as a whole.
The second part is the reference report, a working paper from the International Labour Organization that specifically discusses the working conditions, policy issues, and development prospects of online digital labor platforms in China. Domestic scholars have tended to focus more on research on gig workers in the past, with limited empirical research on platform-based online crowdsourcing work and new forms of remote work. This report fills the gap in this field.
The third part is the new book brief section, where we provide reviews of three new books. They discuss the relationship between technology and enterprise management as well as the rights of workers in the context of artificial intelligence and the digital economy from a global or industry perspective, and include a wealth of reference literature for further reading.
(International Office of Cooperation and Exchange)