Course Info: CSI-0137

This course focused on the labor market transformations that have resulted from economic restructuring informed by neoliberal policies and the reorganization of production in both high and low-income countries over the last four decades or so. The course analyzed the gendered dimensions of these processes, pointed out the contradictory tendencies at work, and emphasized the shared concerns of workers across the globe. Among the questions addressed in the course were the following: What repercussions have these changes in the structure of production in the world economy had on employment dynamics in high- and low-income countries? What does the feminization of the labor force mean, and how is it different from the feminization of labor? What are the main trends leading to labor market informalization? What are the gendered implications of these trends for people who must work for a living? Can we generalize across countries? Is there a role for government policy, international labor standards, as well as social and political activism across borders in raising wages and incomes, fighting discrimination in the workplace, securing greater control over working hours and conditions and achieving economic security, for all those who must work for a living? Students were required to post weekly reflections on the readings to the Moodle course website. They also wrote two short papers and participated in a group research project. Finally, they gave two in-class presentations, the first on a topic of their choice, and the second as part of their group project.