Labor Studies (LBR)

Explore questions including: What is work's purpose? What are our rights on the job? How have labor struggles uplifted working class communities and shaped the global political economy? How can unions fight for social, racial, and gender justice across borders?

Offered Fall

The course will pursue an understanding of the consequences of climate policies for different categories of workers, identified by economic sector, geographic location, gender, migration and immigration, and national status.

Offered Fall, Spring

Explore: What is the role of work in a life well-lived? How do various cultures view work? should we pursue work we love? That society needs? How do we handle workplace stress, occupational health, and integrating careers with other commitments?

Offered All terms

How are workers' lives portrayed in popular culture? We examine media in global context, discussing how image, text, and sound are used to tell workers' stories across gender, race, and sexual orientation as they stand up for dignity and justice.

Offered Spring

Explores the various ways people and institutions i the Americas define success, with the underlying question, does one have to sacrifice one's values to achieve success.

Offered Fall, Spring

Explores the sociopolitical milieu that incited the unrest of the Sixties, with the war in Vietnam at the center. Focuses on the interaction between writers, musicians, activists, labor and religious leaders, and the social movements of the time.

Offered Fall, Spring

Will the robots take our jobs? Course explores how automation, climate change, labor unions, and precarious work arrangements will affect the workplace in decades to come, and outcomes for women, immigrants and workers of color

Offered Fall, Spring

Explores the concept of the American Dream as it is expressed through literature, art, film, etc. and how people interpret the meaning of the concept in their own lives in a multiracial society.

Offered Fall, Spring

What is the purpose of education? What functions does it perform and whose interests does it advance? Investigation of education as a network of institutions operating differently on different classes, races and genders. Evaluation of its position in relation with economy and governance.

Offered Fall, Spring

Research methods developed by social movements to guide organizing and advocacy for social, economic, and political change. Proficiency in a range of illuminating statistical survey, interview, and mapping techniques used to expose and challenge exploitation and injustice.

Offered Spring

Prerequisite: Upper division integrative coursework must be taken after 60 semester units and the lower division components of General Education (or their equivalent) have been completed. Focuses on the ways in which race and racism have been central to the political economic development of the U.S., with a particular focus on understanding how they were used to develop capitalism and how it impacts workers in our society.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Course of special interest for students in the selected area of study. Topic and content will vary as announced.

Offered As needed

The process of negotiating, writing and enforcing a labor contract. An overview of the historical events that have affected contemporary negotiation practices. A survey and analysis of labor contracts in various sectors of industry, including a workshop in contract writing and negotiation.

Offered Fall

Legal history of the American labor movement. Survey of federal and state laws regulating employment, collective bargaining, contract clauses, arbitration, collective actions, lockouts, unfair labor practices and fair employment practices.

Offered Spring

Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor. An integrative course to study selected topics, to develop an overview of the field and to relate theory and practical application. Students will develop seminar papers as they complete an internship in a labor organization or research an area of labor studies. Three hours of seminar per week.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor Independent study of particular topics in the subject area under the direction of a member of the subject department faculty. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Advanced course of special interest for students in the selected area of study. Topic and content will vary as announced.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor is required. Directed field research or supervised internship. Training and research in the practice and policies of a labor organization or labor-related governmental agency. Repeatable course.

Offered Spring

Co-requisite: MUS 180 is required. Studio instruction in an applied area that complements and provides additional depth to that which is offered in MUS 180. In depth study of Etudes, scales, arpeggios, and supplemental solo repertoire.

Offered As needed

A special project involving research or creative work in consultation with a faculty member. Repeatable for credit.

Offered As needed

Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor required. An intensive study of an issue or a concept in Labor Studies of special interest to faculty and students. Topics vary. Repeatable course

Offered As needed

Independent research under direction of supervising faculty member in Labor Studies or related field. A-B/NC grading only.

Offered As needed

Supervised thesis or special project in Labor Studies.

Offered As needed