This course provides a broad, interdisciplinary overview of the U.S. labor movement in the fight for social and economic justice. It will introduce students to critiques of racial capitalism and the power dynamics inherent in paid work while considering why and how workers form unions in response. One of the primary objectives of this course is to develop a theoretical and analytical understanding of contemporary workers’ experiences of work in the U.S. shaped by race, class, gender, sexuality, immigration status, language, religion, and other social constructs. There will be a special comparative focus on the role of structures and the space for agency and mobilization in the Latinx, Black, and Asian American communities.
Food workers and the Fight for $15
"I'll Take Some Protections with a Side of Fries": How fast food preparers in California deserve more rights, pay, and protections
The Masked Conditions of the Restaurant Industry
In this Ted Talk, undergraduate Deven Radfar highlights the working conditions of servers in the restaurant industry, while focusing on the experiences of women and teens.
Childcare Workers
Who will Care for the Caretakers?
Swap Meet Vendors
This video takes a look at the lives and struggles of individuals who work at Swap Meets tailored to Latinx communities in the U.S.
Women Longshore Workers
The growing number of Longshore women workers face a toxically masculine workplace and put up with wage gaps, discrimination, and harassment."
