Valuable contingent workers

Abstract

The article focuses on the more and more recurrent experience of young European researchers, especially in the field of  Humanities, who, in spite of the excellence of their academic qualifications,  publications and professional experiences, find insuperable barriers in their aspiration for a regular employee. While trade unions concentrate their efforts to safeguard regular employers, short-term and freelance researchers are beginning to organize themselves, particularly through the web. The Italian Association of Women Historians (SIS) is paying a considerable attention to these new protagonists (women, in  most cases) of the researching community