Labor Studies | Theories of the Labor Movement
L380 | 7952 | Davis/Iverson
This section is a web based course offered through OnCourse. There
are no required classroom meetings - all interaction between
instructor and students will take place through OnCourse.
Section 7952; 3 credit hours. What is the labor movement? How and
why did it develop? What are the goals of the movement? Who makes
up the “working class”? What is the role of unions, and who should
they be accountable to? Who decides which questions are important?
We will begin with theories of organized labor as a revolutionary
force within capitalism, then move to theories of the labor movement
as an institution of business unionism, as an agent of social reform,
as a psychological reaction to industrialization, as a moral force,
and as an inefficient and unnecessary intervention. Throughout the
course we will read and discuss ways in which different assumptions
regarding race, gender, and the definition of “work” are embedded
within theories of the labor movement. Instructors:
Prof. Chuck Davis, Director and Professor, DLS, IUPUI and Professor
M. Thandabantu Iverson, DLS, IUNW.