Work in the Global Economy

• Program: Summer Pre-College Courses
• Course Code: CESO0908
• How to Apply

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Course Description

How does manufacturing in China affect jobs in the U.S.? Why do Filipino women represent the largest share of domestic workers in Japan? How does the widespread migration of young adults from Mexico to the U.S. affect the people and communities they left behind? How do large-scale changes in the global economy affect the lives of individuals? This class will address the meanings and experiences of work in a context of increasing globalization. We will examine how changes in social conditions affect workers, acting to constrain the choices they can make, and examine the strategies that individuals develop given the constraints they face. Although work in the U.S. will be addressed, the focus of this course will be international and comparative in nature. Specifically, we will cover topics such as the international corporation, flows of international labor migration, push and pull factors that channel migrants from specific sending countries to particular host countries, temporary and permanent work arrangements, and the factors that shape the incorporation and success of particular workers (native-born and migrant) when others remain in marginal, intermittent, and low-paying work.

This class will utilize a combination of readings, lectures, in-class discussion, and group projects to introduce students to topics and issues related to work. Additionally, students will view and discuss relevant films, listen to guest speakers, and may visit diverse types of work sites in Providence. Students taking this class will 1) gain exposure to social science theories and methods used to understand how large-scale phenomena work to affect the lives of individuals at a local level, 2) engage in in-depth exploration of case studies to produce a greater understanding of common social problems associated with the global economy, and 3) develop writing and critical thinking skills that will help them succeed in a variety of majors, including sociology, political science, international relations, economics, anthropology, and public policy.