The Other Sociologist

Artificial Intelligence at Work

Posted on Wednesday, 3 September, 2025Tuesday, 23 September, 2025 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

A woman of colour sits in a darkened computer lab, working on her laptop

Despite dire predictions, researchers forecast that few industries will lose a substantial number of jobs due to artificial intelligence (AI). Instead, AI is more likely to alter the way humans work. The AI industry may also create new roles, but this may amplify inequality. In this third post in my Sociology of AI series, I explore the perceived impact of AI on jobs, and the stratification that may follow increased automation of the labour market. I analyse evolving policy directions, including a new report by Jobs and Skills Australia, on AI-related job losses. I then review sociological understandings of AI and work, and recent examples of job redundancies. I analyse a much-publicised study by Microsoft, which claims AI can replace 40 professions, including translators, historians, artists, and customer service workers. This case study shows that AI companies distort evidence to overstate the functions, utility, and accuracy of AI technology. I argue that AI discourse hinges on eliminating competition from human professionals. Sociology uncovers the ways in which scientific models and customer data are used to make unethical and spurious claims.

Artificial Intelligence and the Economy

Posted on Saturday, 16 August, 2025Tuesday, 23 September, 2025 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Drawing of a group of women working on laptops in an open plan office

In this second post in my Sociology of AI series, I show that AI companies position automation as being superior to human labour. I review the Australian Government’s recent announcement that is considering changing the law to allow AI to mine copyrighted works. I will show that the economic model used to justify this decision lacks robust testing. I analyse the ways in which AI discourse is ‘manufacturing consent’ to control the labour market. I argue that AI discourse establishes economic power by marketing technological supremacy, using science selectively, eliminating competition, and suppressing issues that undermine AI domination.

Sociology of Artificial Intelligence

Posted on Thursday, 7 August, 2025Friday, 22 August, 2025 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

This is the first in a series of posts exploring the sociology of artificial intelligence (AI). I cover definitions of AI, before exploring sociological issues of public awareness, ethics, and regulation. I discuss how AI models replicate race, class, and social inequality. I show why First Peoples’ leadership must be central to the development AI policies. I discuss how sociology can address structural change and ethical use of AI. The rest of this series will examine how AI may transform work, and how AI companies are using customer data to grow their market dominance and policy influence.

Critical Race Studies and Racial Literacy

Posted on Saturday, 21 September, 2024Monday, 23 December, 2024 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

A Black woman in a jacket watches another Black woman talking

I have published two new book chapters. In ‘Critical Race Studies and Intersectionality Responses to COVID-19,’ I provide practical guidance for educators and researchers on how to apply insights from the webseries, Race in Society. The series featured First Peoples scholars and practitioners, and other people of colour researchers discussing issues of race and the pandemic. In ‘Race at Work Within Social Policy,’ I analyse how anti-racism and intersectionality work is co-opted and suppressed in social policy. Read about both chapters below, including where to order the books and upcoming events.

Increasing Women’s Participation in Trades

Posted on Tuesday, 22 November, 2022Monday, 23 December, 2024 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

A white woman is gesturing with her hands while an Asian woman listens. They are in an engineering lab with a white machine and laptop in front of them

I lead the Women in Trades project. Our team investigates the behavioural barriers and solutions to women’s recruitment in traditionally male-dominated trades, such as construction, engineering and electrotechnology. In the state of New South Wales, women make up only 9% of all apprentices, and 2% of qualified tradespeople in these industries. Our first research report has been published by our partners. The Women in Trades Promising Practice Review presents an overview of best practice in vocational training and employment in Australia and internationally.

Event: Risks of visibility in a forced spotlight

Posted on Wednesday, 3 August, 2022Thursday, 4 May, 2023 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

In the background, a person stands onstage bathed in light. People in the foreground watch in the forefront

I’ll be presenting my research on how institutions can protect public scholars from public abuse. Hosted by Cultures of Digital Hate, this online panel is free to attend.

Applied Sociology and Cyber Security

Posted on Sunday, 31 July, 2022Monday, 23 December, 2024 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

I led a project where our team created an online cyber security training game. We used behavioural science to develop the game. I hired an intern who did a wonderful job building the prototype. Our team then contracted a great agency to work with us to enhance the game. Having an applied sociologist at the helm meant that accessibility and game design was developed with inclusion from inception.

Applied Sociology of COVID-19

Posted on Saturday, 19 February, 2022Monday, 23 December, 2024 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

An Asian woman clinician stands, holding a COVID PCR test. She wears a surgical mask and gown. A Pacific Islander man sits in a chair wearing a mask. The both look to the side as if listening to instructions

I am cross-posting public health research that I co-led. Our team significantly improved COVID-19 self-isolation rates in Sydney, Australia, at the height of the Delta outbreak.

Career Progression and Accessibility

Posted on Saturday, 27 November, 2021Monday, 23 December, 2024 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Three men and one woman sit at table. They watch another woman who is pointing to the group notes on a wall

Cross-posting research I’ve lead on increasing the promotion and retention of people with disability* within the New South Wales (NSW) public service. We undertook fieldwork to understand the behavioural barriers and solutions. We find that administrative hurdles and inadequate support are negatively impacting the career progression of people with disability. We can improve these outcomes by: 1) Using a feedback loop to increase professional development opportunities for staff with disability; 2) making it easier to implement workplace adjustments; and 3) providing managers with improved resources and training on disability inclusion.

Race and Indigenous Language Rights in Peru

Posted on Monday, 20 September, 2021Thursday, 4 May, 2023 by Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Quechuan woman carries goods on her back with a child walking beside her. They are on a mountain

On 27 August 2021, in his maiden speech to the Peruvian Congress, Guido Bellido, Prime Minister of Peru, was heckled by his fellow politicians, and reprimanded by the President of Congress for giving an extended welcome in Quechua and Aimara. Quechua is the language of the Quechuan people, the largest Indigenous group in Peru. Aimara is the second largest Indigenous group. Bellido is Quechuan. He was elected as the Cusco representative for Congress on 29 July 2021. Cusco is a Quechuan-majority region, where citizens have a legal right to Quechuan language services, and public servants must speak at least basic Quechua. As a public servant and Indigenous person elected to serve Cusco, Bellido had a legislated right to speak Quechuan.

Quechua and Aimara are both official national languages of the Republic of Peru, alongside Castellano (Español, or Spanish spoken in South America). Quechua has an ongoing influence on the evolution of Castellano in Peru. This includes every day words, grammar, conventions used for the third person, and regional variations of speech.¹

Indigenous languages are the original mode of verbal communication in Peru. The events in Congress reflect the pervasive impact of race on politics and all other aspects of society.

To explore the functions of race in Peru, I begin with an examination of Bellido’s speech as a case study of race. I’ll then explore the history of race and language in Peru, before discussing why racial inequality persists despite the development of Constitutional right to language and ethnic (cultural) autonomy. I then deep dive into a racial profile of Quechuan people, using data from the most recent Census.