Sociology of Work (21780)

2014-2015

Degree course: Degree in Labour Relations
Academic year: second
Term: first
Number of ECTS credits: 6
Student hours: 150

Syllabus

This course aims to introduce students to the phenomenon of work in its social dimension. There are two fundamental mechanisms in the social structuring of work: occupations and the labour market on one hand, and organisations on the other. After an introduction to the course, the bulk of the work will consist of analysing these two social structuring mechanisms.

However, a context of the increasing globalisation and internationalisation of work means that analysing such mechanisms in a traditional domestic framework is becoming less and less adequate. For this reason, the two previous sections are accompanied by a third which deals with the international dimension of this social structuring. This dimension also has two sides: the increasing strength of multinational companies as an organisational framework of work and the provision of employment, and the growing political and social importance of flows of migration for reasons of employment in certain OECD countries. All this is discussed in the last part of the course.

 

TOPIC 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE CURRENT WORK SITUATION

1.1.  Historical development of the concept of work

1.2.  Work in post-industrial societies

TOPIC 2: THE SOCIAL STRUCTURIING OF WORK: OCCUPATIONS

2.1. Occupational structure: occupations and status

2.2. Occupation analysis

.- Managers

.- Liberal professions

.- White collar workers

.- Self-employed workers

.- Blue collar workers

.- Unskilled white collar workers

TOPIC 3: THE SOCIAL STRUCTURING OF WORK: ORGANISATIONS

3.1. Classical theories

3.2. New schools of organisation analysis

TOPIC 4: THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION OF WORK

4.1. The growing importance of multinational companies and foreign investment

- The new structure of work in multinationals (company-network)

- Outsourcing work

4.2. The introduction of the global dimension of work into the domestic sphere:

- Immigration for reasons of employment and the creation of a new political, social and employment problem

- The effects of immigration on the labour market

- The effects of immigration on the welfare state. Mechanisms of control: soft repression (People's Court, Alien Torts Act Claim, etc.)