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	WORKING IN SOCIETY Sociology 316 fall 2007
Assignments \| E-mail Dr. Ames

Work/working is critical to the survival of both society and individuals. This course will examine the nature of working in America and the world. How is it structured? What social meaning does work have in our lives? Where did our ideals about work come from? How well does work today satisfy the needs of workers, individually and collectively? When is it satisfying or not? Can it be made more satisfying? What are the social forces that shape working today and tomorrow? How is the global economy affecting our work and the work of people around the world?

Since most of us will spend most of our days, years, and lives at work, preparing for work, and recovering from working, the study of working in society is simply the study of our lives.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Readings , class discussions, and lectures are all important in understanding the material. Lectures will cover material NOT covered in the books. Faithful class attendance is required, as is careful and prompt reading as assigned.

There will be three in-class exams, each worth 25%, for a total of 75%, of your course grade. You may use your notes, including notes on the books (but not the actual books), for the exams. Dates for each exam are included in the reading schedule below.

There will be three short (3-5 pages) essay assignments. (Details will follow separately.) Together these essays will be worth 15% of your course grade.

There will be several in-class, structured discussions. Together, these discussions will be worth 10% of your course grade.

BOOKS

Randy Hodson & Teresa A. Sullivan. 2008. The Social Organization of Work. Belmont , CA : Thomson Wadsworth . (“Text” on reading list)

Robert Perrucci & Carolyn C. Perrucci (eds.). 2007. The Transformation of Work in the New Economy: Sociological Readings . Los Angeles : Roxbury Publishing Company. (“Reader” on reading list)

Reading schedule: Keep up! The readings are very uneven. Plan ahead.
(Come to class even if there is no new reading assigned for that day!)

DATE

Topic

READ/DO

8-27-07

8-29

8-31

Why (study) work?

A History of Working

In Text:

Ch. 1: The Evolution of Work

Ch. 2: Studying the World of Work

In Reader:

Introduction: pgs. 1-4, pg. 5
Ch. 1: Sanford M. Jacoby

The Way It Was: Factory Labor Before 1915

9-3

(Labor Day)

9-5

9-7

The Context of Work:
Capitalism

The Meaning of Work

Job Satisfaction

In Reader:

Ch. 4: Karl Marx

Alienated Labour

In Text:

Ch. 3: Meaningful Work

In Reader:

Ch. 16: Jackie Rogers

Just a Temp

9-10

9-12

9-14

The Labor Process

In Text:

Ch. 7: Technology & Organization

In Reader:

Ch. 2: Harry Braverman

Scientific Management

Ch. 3: Richard Edwards

Bureaucratic Control

Ch. 12: Jill Andresky Fraser

‘They Used to Use a Ball and Chain’

9-17

9-19

9-21

Labor Markets

Unemployment

In Reader:

Ch. 14: Arne L. Kalleberg

Flexible Firms and Labor Market Segmentation

Ch. 15: David M. Gordon

Bureaucratic Bloat

In Text:

Ch. 14: Marginal Jobs

9-24

9-26

9-28

Work and YOU

Examination #1

First essay assigned

10-1

10-3

10-5

Inequality: Class

Inequality: Race Queues

First Essay DUE

In Text:

Ch. 4: Class, Race, and Gender

In Reader:

Ch. 17: Richard Hogan & Carolyn Perrucci

Gender, Race, and Income Gaps

Ch.13: Frank Levey & Richard J. Murnane

How Computers Change Work and Pay

Ch. 19: Philip Moss & Chris Tilly

‘Soft’ Skills and Race

10-8

10-10

10-12

BREAK

Inequality: Gender at Work

In Reader:

Ch. 20: David J. Maume, Jr.

Glass Ceilings and Glass Escalators

10-15

10-17

10-19

The Global Context of Work

In Text:

Ch. 15: The World of the Large Corporation

Ch. 16: Globalization

In Reader:

Ch. 5: Dan Clawson

Neoliberal Globalization

Ch. 6: Robert Perrucci & Earl Wysong

Global Economy and Privileged Class

Ch. 7: Louis Uchitelle & N.R. Kleinfield

The Price of Jobs Lost

Ch. 8: David Bacon

Grapes and Green Onions

Ch. 9: Nestor Rodriguez

‘Workers Wanted’: Employer Recruitment of

Immigrant Labor

10-22

10-24

10-26

Work and Family

Work and Consumption

In Text:

Ch. 5: Work and Family

In Reader:

Ch. 30: Jennifer L. Glass

Envisioning the Integration of Family & Work

Ch. 33: S.F. Mennino, B. Rubin, & A. Brayfield

Home-to-Job and Job-to-Home Spillover

Ch. 34: Janet C. Gornick & Marcia K. Meyers

The Reluctant American Welfare State

10-29

10-31

11-2

Household Labor

Examination #2

Second essay assigned

11-5

11-7

11-9

Experiences of Work:

Types of Work:

Professions

Blue Collar

Service

Second essay DUE

In Text:

Ch. 8: From Field, Mine, and Factory

Ch. 9: The High-Technology Revolution

Ch. 10: Services

Ch. 11: Professions and Professionals

Ch. 12: Managers

Ch. 13: Administrative Support and Sales

In Reader:

Ch. 21: Jerry L. VanHoy

The Organization of Mass Production Law

Ch. 24: Steven P. Vallas

Why Teamwork Fails

Ch. 25: Laurie Graham

Inside a Japanese Transplant

Ch. 27: B. Gutek, B. Cherry, & M. Groth

Gender and Service Delivery

Ch. 28: Robin Leidner

Over the Counter: McDonald’s

Ch. 29: Barbara Ehrenreich

Wal-Mart

12	11-12 11-14 11-16	Collective Responses to Control at Work Unions	In Text: Ch. 6: Collective Responses to Work In Reader: Ch. 37: Edna Bonacich The Challenge of Organizing in a Globalized/ Flexible Industry Ch. 38: Stephanie Luce Lessons from Living-Wage Campaigns Ch. 39: Donald L. Barlett & James B. Steele Critical Condition: How Health Care in America Became Big Business and Bad Medicine
13	11-19 11-21 11-23	Unions BREAK BREAK
14	11-26 11-28 11-30	Democracy at Work	In Text: Ch. 17: The Future of Work Third Essay Assigned
15	12-3 12-5 12-7	The Future of Work and Working	Third Essay DUE
F	TBA	Examination #3

Honor Code Statement: It is expected that all students enrolled in this class support the letter and the spirit of the Academic Honesty Policy as stated in the college catalog.

Last Modified 28 November 2007
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