Labor History and the Importance of Political Action

Labor History and the Importance of Political Action

This course examines the roles of workers and their organizations from colonial American times to the present. The goals are to develop informed and critical analyses of these historical developments and to draw conclusions about them in ways that make sense to the student. Students will critically examine and discuss labor as a form of economic, political, and social expression; will learn how to identify, understand, and appreciate labor traditions in their historical, critical, and sociocultural contexts; and will learn to differentiate economic, political, social, and organizational traditions. The course will also consider the manner in which both unionized and non-unionized work developed. This will include discussing how gender, race, and ethnicity have influenced workers in America. I

• Participants will be able to recall key events, figures, and milestones in labor history from colonial America to the present.
• Participants will be able to explain the significance of labor movements and their impact on economic, political, and social aspects of American society.
• Participants will be able to analyze the roles of gender, race, and ethnicity in the development of labor movements and their influence on workers.