Illustrating Labour: The Role of Graphic Social Science in Labour Sociology

The use of comics in social research has gained significant attention, particularly within visual-qualitative methodologies. This medium, often referred to as “graphic social science”, bridges the gap between academic and non-academic audiences by presenting complex sociological concepts through accessible and engaging visual storytelling. Graphic novels and comics offer unique insights into various forms of work—standard and non-standard, formal and informal, voluntary and forced—by highlighting experiences and perceptions that traditional methods often overlook. As a visual medium, comics reveal implicit and obscured aspects of labour dynamics, akin to techniques like photo-elicitation and photovoice. This chapter examines how “graphic social science” expands the methodological scope of the sociology of work, with a focus on data collection, participant engagement, and the dissemination of research findings.