This course focuses, from a global perspective, on one foundational dimension of the human experience, the history of work and labor, highlighting important debates and the latest methodological and theoretical developments. It explores how the combination and entanglement of different types of labor and labor relations locally and globally has changed over time and what this has meant for working people in different parts of the world. It examines how labor’s struggles and organizing have divided and united working people, challenged exploitative labor relations and the unequally combined development of labor relations, and shaped the history of labor over time.
Students are not expected to have a background in labor history. They should be open to reflecting upon ways in which work and labor have shaped human experience and how the politics of labor have formed part of the history of capitalism and state-socialism. Throughout the course we will work closely with the most recent scholarship as well as with primary sources, including films and other visual material.
Learning Outcomes
Upon finishing this course students should: have gained insight into major concepts, main topics of empirical research and conceptual debate in labor history; be able to discuss why they find particular thematic areas and approaches important and promising for the ongoing development of labor history; have developed their skills in contextualizing original material related to the history of labor across time and space, and be able to articulate scholarly argument in relation to primary material and secondary literature.
Assessment
Students will be required to submit one Review of required reading (2 pages, double-spaced), one Reflection paper (3-4 pages, double-spaced) and the Final paper, the Source-based Essay (8-10 pages, double-spaced). They are expected to carefully prepare for class by studying the required reading including the sources, and actively engage in class discussion.
Students are not expected to have a background in labor history. They should be open to reflecting upon ways in which work and labor have shaped human experience and how the politics of labor have formed part of the history of capitalism and state-socialism. Throughout the course we will work closely with the most recent scholarship as well as with primary sources, including films and other visual material.
Learning Outcomes
Upon finishing this course students should: have gained insight into major concepts, main topics of empirical research and conceptual debate in labor history; be able to discuss why they find particular thematic areas and approaches important and promising for the ongoing development of labor history; have developed their skills in contextualizing original material related to the history of labor across time and space, and be able to articulate scholarly argument in relation to primary material and secondary literature.
Assessment
Students will be required to submit one Review of required reading (2 pages, double-spaced), one Reflection paper (3-4 pages, double-spaced) and the Final paper, the Source-based Essay (8-10 pages, double-spaced). They are expected to carefully prepare for class by studying the required reading including the sources, and actively engage in class discussion.
- Instructor: Susan Zimmermann