ILRLR 1100

Introduction to U.S. Labor History

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2017-2018.

Introductory survey covering the major changes in the nature of work, the workforce, and the institutions involved in industrial relations from the late 19th century to the present.

When Offered Fall, spring, summer.

• Students will develop a firm understanding of some of the major historical themes and general discourses shaping U.S. labor relations throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
• Students will learn to examine the sources and consequences of change in labor relations over time within the context of the broader patterns and issues of American political, social and economic history.
• Students will learn to think about work, class, and the economy as fluid concepts that are shaped by diverse perspectives and interests, and influenced by race, gender, and national identity.
• Students will learn to evaluate the evolving actions of workers, labor unions, employers, and the American public to establish government policies for regulating labor relations.
• Students will develop key methodological and analytical tools for historical research and writing in a clear and critical manner.

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