The present article aims to discuss conceptually the notion of work instability, having in mind that it is widely used in sociology without a precise definition. It is proposed a relational and constructivist approach that seeks to articulate objective and subjective conditions of the production of the phenomenon studied. In order to do this, this study starts with a discussion about the concept of work intending to define, more appropriately, what constitutes its instability. It is equally debated the necessity of situating this debate in the ambit of broader theoretical frameworks of the sociological interpretation. Two crucial dimensions are identified in the analysis of work instability, the relation of job or work with labor activity itself, discussing the exemplary theoretical perspectives of two French authors who are especially interested in the subject: Robert Castel and Serge Paugam. Finally, some implications of this debate are discussed for the Brazilian reality, sustaining the importance of giving a multidimensional treatment to the phenomenon.
Work; Job; Instability; Precarity; Inequality