Living and Working with Algorithms: The Transformation of Gig Labor in Mexico City
Mariana Manriquez, a graduate student in the School of Sociology at the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, was recently awarded the Louise Foucar Marshall Foundation Dissertation Fellowship for spring 2025. Manriquez earned the fellowship for her research that challenges the myths of automation and universality, examining how local contexts, particularly in Mexico City, shape and influence the way couriers interact with and navigate technology.
As a sociologist of work, Manriquez investigates how major economic transformations reshape workplaces. Her dissertation, "Delivered: Working and Living with Algorithms in Mexico City," began when she identified the rise of digital technologies as the defining historical transformation of her time. This realization inspired her to explore how labor platforms are reshaping traditional work organizations.
“My current primary research site is Mexico City where labor platforms have become an increasingly way for workers to generate income amid a context of economic and labor precarity,” Manriquez said.
Her dissertation focuses on food delivery gig work in Mexico City, evaluating how digital technologies and algorithms influence work practices, shape how work is organized, and impact workers' well-being. Ultimately, it tells the story of what it’s like to live and work with algorithms in the city.
During her research, Manriquez was surprised by the complex relationship between humans and platforms, which challenges the idea that technology will fully replace human labor. Her project sheds light on how labor platforms are transforming work relationships, practices, and organizations worldwide. However, these changes look different in each city, depending on local labor history, geography, culture, and other factors.
“On the ground, the reality is messier. Sometimes digital technologies — specifically algorithms — are used to control workers,” Manriquez said. “At other times, humans resist and contest the control of algorithms. Humans must address the limitations of platforms.”
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