[Reader-list] call centers as an urban work space

[taha mehmood]

This is our introductory  posting as part of the Sarai independent fellowship programme. Our research will explore the call center as a modern work space of urban India. The last few years have seen a mushrooming of call centers in and around Delhi. With its odd working schedules contrasted with �easy� money,  the call center becomes a space of contradictions.  On the one hand, the call center glorifies the notion of free market, free capital and global entrepreneurship--- becoming a panacea for all job ills and on the other hand are odd working hours, negotiation with a city which caters to the day, change in identity and a heightened pressure to perform.

 

  We seek to study this dichotomy through the lives of call center employees and its related services, such as coaching institutes, taxi services, all night shops etc.

 

In the coming few months we plan to document personal narratives of some call center employees and through them study work and leisure practices of a modern work space.  Apart from transcribe interviews we also seek to use photographs, personal memorabilia, call center lingo and  log book entries, to study the sub culture of the call center.

 

Form the month of  March onwards we will introduce the different �characters� or rather the participants of te research working in various international and domestic  call centers in Delhi, NOIDA and Gurgoan.

 

All  ideas and suggestions with respect to the research are welcome. 

 

Taha Mehmood 

Iram  Ghufran



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