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Where is reproductive labour in the just energy transition?This article analyses labour relations in

Where is reproductive labour in the just energy transition? A feminist analysis of the extraction and manufacturing of energy production.

This seminar will focus on an article that analyses labour relations in the mining and manufacturing industries required for the energy transition. It draws attention to the often-overlooked role of reproductive labour, which fundamentally underpins energy systems. In doing so, the article makes two key contributions: (1) it proposes an analytical framework for mapping the varied forms of reproductive labour that sustain the lithium–copper–battery commodity chain, from extraction and processing in Antofagasta, Chile, to the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries in Skellefteå, Sweden; and (2) it offers empirically grounded insights that highlight reproductive labour, the persistence of exploitation, and the need to reconceptualise justice in energy transitions. Overall, the paper fills a significant theoretical and empirical gap by examining the hidden costs borne especially by low-income, unskilled, and immigrant workers, whose reproductive labour is crucial in sustaining the shift towards the energy transition, yet who continue to experience social and economic marginalisation.

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