SOC 250

About this course

Using historical and social science perspectives, this course provides an overview of and analyzes changes in the nature, organization, structure, and meaning of work in the U.S. since the dawn of the industrial revolution. What people do at work--using what materials, who works and who doesn't, why people work, where they do it, and for how long are fundamental questions that provide a framework for exploring the transformations. Topics covered include: the impact of technology on work; social attitudes and differentiation of participation in the workforce based on gender, race, class, age, sexual orientation, ability, and religion; work-related rights and obligations, human relations and organizational culture in the workplace; the globalization of work; location and design of the workplace, and shifts in conceptual and practical understandings of job, occupation, profession, and career.