LABR 605 - Perspectives on the Labor Movement (4 Credits)

Prerequisite: None
This course is organized as an introduction to the field of Labor Studies and theories of the labor movement. Students will be introduced to the basic theoretical concepts in labor studies and the study of work. We will read historical and contemporary scholarship and students should leave the class familiar with the structure of the labor movement and historic debates about the purpose of unions and working class organizations. Fewer than one out of every ten workers belongs to a union in the U.S. today. Yet unions have been one of the only vehicles for workers to achieve economic justice in the workplace and in society. Are unions still relevant in today’s global economy? What do unions do, and what should they do? Are unions part of the solution for improving the lives of workers, or are they part of the problem? The course readings are interdisciplinary and draw on a number of fields, including history, sociology, economics, political science and women’s studies. Finally, the course will explore how and whether theories of the labor movement contribute to resolving labor’s internal debates and revitalizing its power in an era of globalization. The class is reading and writing intensive so that students can develop the skills to excel at the graduate level.