Labor Economies in the Forces of Insurrection

Labor Economies in the Forces of Insurrection

This presentation will address the context of work (labor) and its influences on the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection. It examines the types of jobs in which insurrectionists were employed and also reviews types of right-wing political activism that took place within mass- and social media and within communities and political rallies. Several, if not many, insurrectionists learned the skills necessary to carry out a military style attack while working in their vocation. However, perhaps more importantly was the work done away from their jobs, as would-be insurrectionists devoted much time and money to consuming, producing, and transferring media and social media content, much of which was not factual. This resulted in the formation and spread of radical right-wing political and racial ideologies that motivated the insurrectionists.

Chuck Koeber is an associate professor and chair of the sociology department. While at Wichita State, he has been the director of the Center for Teaching Excellence and senior associate dean of Fairmount College. He teaches courses in introductory sociology, sociological theory, work and globalization. His research examines contemporary changes and social inequalities in the nature and organization of work. He is the coeditor of “The Critical Study of Work:  Labor, Technology, and Global Production,” the author of a handbook for laid-off Wichita workers titled “I’ve Been Laid Off, What Should I Do?” and has published in several peer-reviewed journals.