Sociological theory, after the nineteenth century, examined the multiple facets of labor subjected to precarious conditions and marked by the vulnerability of the worker. Several authors have dedicated themselves to this issue during the twentieth century, even during the consolidation of wage society, threatened at present. The aim of this paper is to contribute to this debate through research findings over the past decade, that inform us of the permanence of the issues observed in the founding analyses of this field of study, but also new dimensions to be considered for a better sociological understanding of the contradictions observed in precarious work, a source of vulnerability for workers. We favor analytically a field of research in which workers are educated, predominantly college graduates and highly qualified professionals: we refer to the artistic work of musicians in orchestras in Brazil and the State's role in building the suppression of labor-related rights.
sociological theory; gender relations; orchestra musicians; precarious labor
