GE Cluster M24A,B,CW
Work, Labor and Social Justice in The U.S.
| Lecture Schedule: | Tuesday, Thursday 2:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m. – DeNeve Auditorium |
| Faculty: | Kelly Lytle Hernandez, History Geraldine Moyle, Writing Programs Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, UCLA Labor Center Abel Valenzuela, Department of Chicano/a Studies |
Work is a basic human activity, shaped by many different forces. Its form and content vary over time and space, and it affects many other aspects of the human condition, ranging from family life to education, from basic living standards to health. Work and the conditions under which it is performed have also been a key terrain of struggles for social justice for most of human history. We will be particularly concerned with social justice issues as they relate to the workplace, examining such topics as: the way work is organized, the forces shaping working conditions and remuneration, and the ways in which working people themselves have sought to transform and improve the workplace through workers organizing and participating in unions.
During the last century, deindustrialization, the growth of service industries, and information technologies have radically altered the ways in which work is done and these changes have affected the lives of many working people. Understanding the political, social, and cultural ramifications of these transformations is greatly enhanced by an interdisciplinary perspective. In this course, we will engage the world of work from a variety of angles, including the disciplinary approaches of economics, sociology, and history, as well as public policy, ethnic studies and women’s studies.
Course Format
The course also features the following distinctive elements:
- A diverse array of guest speakers, including community leaders, union organizers, activists & workers as well as local & visiting scholars with expertise in labor history, economic trends, & immigrant workforce participation.
- An evening film series, exhibiting movies in De Neve three times each quarter, ranging from dramas to comedies to documentaries.
- A variety of role-playing exercises.
- Regular notification about opportunities to participate in social justice activities, both on & off campus.
- A spring seminar devoted to service learning and offering the opportunity to participate in the work of local organizations involved in social justice, social change or social services.
Spring Seminars – Previous seminar topics have included:
- U.S. Immigration Policy & the Labor Market Working for Paradise: Work, Labor, and Social Justice in Los Angeles
- 1890-1990 Office Space: Culture, Power, and Resistance in White-Collar Work Labor Relations in a Comparative Perspective Gender
- Labor in the Global Economy Immigrant Workers in California History Service Learning: Organizing Around Work in Los Angeles
Foundation Area General Education Credit
Upon completion of all three quarters of the cluster, students will receive credit for 2 courses in Foundations of Society and Culture (1 in Historical Analysis and 1 in Social Analysis) and 1 course in the Foundations of Arts and Humanities-Literary and Cultural Analysis.
