Time Schedule:
Brian Serafini
SOC 468
Seattle Campus
Frameworks for study of occupations and professions; occupational structure and mobility in American society in relation to adult socialization and career development; occupational and professional associations and society.
Class description
In this course we will examine the sociology of work and the workplace. This course will help you use a sociological framework to answer the following questions:
Why does society need workers? Why do people work? Do they choose to work? How do people end up in occupations and professions? How does the workplace structure the lives of workers in and out of work? Are all jobs equal? Which jobs are better than others and why? How does work differ by race, class and gender? What characterizes the modern workplace and how can we explain the emergence of "precarious" work arrangements like temp and contract work?
Student learning goals
Use sociological theory to understand work and the workplace.
Have a basic understanding of how sociologists study and theorize about work and the workplace.
Develop an understanding of occupations, professions and how they continue to exist in capitalist societies.
Understand the labor market and how institutions sort different types of people into different types of jobs.
Become aware of how the institution of work has shaped the lives of workers and their families in the past and present.
General method of instruction
This course will be mostly lecture and discussion based. There are three books and a handful of articles that will be used to supplement the lecture material. There will also be one or two documentaries.
Recommended preparation
Students should have a basic understanding of the sociological perspective and methods. Students interested in stratification and inequality will be especially interested.
Class assignments and grading
There will be two exams, a midterm and a final. Both exams will be multiple choice with a small written component. There will also be a short, 3-5 page paper where students describe a work experience and use the information from the course to analyze their experience. Finally, students will be graded on their participation during class discussions.
Midterm: 30 percent Final: 30 percent Work Experience Paper: 25 percent Participation: 15 percent
