The Sociology Of Work

The Sociology of Work and Occupations, Second Edition connects work and occupations to the key subjects of sociological inquiry: social and technological change, race, ethnicity, gender, social class, education, social networks, and modes of organization. In 15 chapters, Rudi Volti succinctly but comprehensively covers the changes in the world of work, encompassing everything from gathering and hunting to working in today′s Information Age. This book introduces students to a highly relevant analysis of society today. In this new and updated edition, globalization and technology are each given their own chapter and discussed in great depth.

"A highly readable and approachable account of the sociology of work... a first-rate introductory text that is sure to become essential reading for students, teachers, and researchers." - Jason Hughes, Brunel University "An excellent text. Its comparative and historical sweep is particularly welcome and the analysis provided is thoughtful and well grounded." - John Eldridge, University of Glasgow "An invaluable and up-to-date text for students and researchers. Detailed and wide-ranging in its scope it is an excellent source of materials combined with a thought provoking and challenging set of arguments." - Huw Beynon, Cardiff University Stephen Edgell′s book charts the rise of ′work′ and explores all aspects of work including paid and unpaid, standard and non-standard and unemployment. New material has been incorporated covering the theories and practices of globalization, interactive service work, economic crisis, technological and organizational change, and trade unions. Drawing on classic and contemporary theorists, the book: Covers key issues regarding paid industrial and service sector work: alienation, skill, post-industrial society, network enterprises, flexibility, Fordism, neo-Fordism, post-Fordism, McDonaldization, emotional labour, destandardization and the social impact of unemployment. Discusses key issues regarding non-paid work: domestic work as ′work′, the impact of technology, symmetrical family thesis, the impact of feminism, and globalization. Provides student friendly pedagogy: suggestions for further reading, questions for discussion and assessment, an extensive glossary and links to key websites and downloadable articles. This latest edition will be welcomed by lecturers and students wanting an authoritative guide to the sociology of work.

The simple act of going to work every day is an integral part of all societies across the globe. It is an ingrained social contract: we all work to survive. But it goes beyond physical survival. Psychologists have equated losing a job with the trauma of divorce or a family death, and enormous issues arise, from financial panic to sinking self-esteem. Through work, we build our self-identity, our lifestyle, and our aspirations. How did it come about that work dominates so many parts of our lives and our psyche? This multi-disciplinary encyclopedia covers curricular subjects that seek to address that question, ranging from business and management to anthropology, sociology, social history, psychology, politics, economics, and health. Features & Benefits: International and comparative coverage. 335 signed entries, A-to-Z, fill 2 volumes in print and electronic formats. Cross-References and Suggestions for Further Readings guide readers to additional resources. A Chronology provides students with historical perspective of the sociology of work. In the electronic version, the comprehensive Index combines with the Cross-References and thematic Reader's Guide themes to provide robust search-and-browse capabilities.

The third edition of this best-selling textbook has been carefully revised to provide an up-to-date, indispensable introduction to the sociology of work. It not only includes clear explanations of classic theories and evidence, but also covers the most cutting-edge research, data, and debates. In addition to being revised throughout, the book contains substantive new sections on globalisation, including global branding and slave labour, and a new chapter on the myths and realities of modern employment. Chapter-by-chapter, Keith Grint examines different sociological approaches to work, emphasising the links between social processes, the institutions of employment, and their social and domestic contexts. His use of an international range of empirical evidence helps to make his account especially accessible to undergraduate readers. The book has been specially designed to support students’ understanding, and to develop their critical responses to the literature. Written in a lively and accessible style, it provides student-friendly chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, a glossary and practice essay questions. This third edition will be essential reading for students of the sociology of work, industrial sociology, organisational behaviour and industrial relations. Students studying business and management courses with a sociological component will also find the book invaluable.

Understanding the world of work is often difficult for students--particularly undergraduates--to grasp. The Sociology of Work: Structures and Inequalities answers the need for a clear, engaging--and affordable--introduction to the basic concepts used by sociologists of work. Throughout, the text links the most up-to-date research and scholarship on work and occupations with their underlying sociological principles. Beginning with a thorough discussion of these core concepts, it goes on to show the historical developments of labor processes, thus allowing students to draw modern, real-world connections. The book also examines the contemporary work scene (both domestic and global), its concurrent occupational structures, and, all too often, its resultant inequalities. While remarkably accessible, The Sociology of Work does not shy away from challenging students with weightier sociological concepts, theories, and methodological issues, as well as less commonly discussed topics like Luddism, the role of gender in the industrial revolution, and the rise and decline of the workers' movement. Comprehensive and versatile, The Sociology of Work: Structures and Inequalities is ideal for courses in the sociology of work and occupations, and the sociology of organizations and corporations, as well as labor studies and human resource management. Features * Incorporates issues of gender and race throughout * Also includes separate and unique chapters on gender (Chapter 11), diversity (Chapter 12), immigration (Chapter 13), and globalization (Chapter 16) * Emphasizes the continuing importance of social theory, both classical and contemporary * Devotes an entire chapter to research methods and data sources

This book explores the key conceptual features of the development of the Sociology of Work (SoW) in Europe since 1945, using eleven country case studies. An original contribution to our understanding of the trajectory of the SoW, the chapters map the current state of the theoretical background of the sub-discipline's development to broader socio-political and economic changes, traced across a heterogeneous set of national contexts. Different definitions of the SoW in each country often reflect variations in the focus of analysis, and these chapters link the subject definition and focus to other social science disciplines, the state, as well as social class interests and ideologies. The book contends that the ways in which the sub-discipline makes sense of changes in work is itself a response to the type of society in which the sub-discipline is practiced, whether in the post-war social democratic West, the Soviet East, or today's societies, dominated by variant forms of neo-liberalism. It will be of use to scholars and students interested in the transnational history of the discipline of sociology, with a specific focus on the nexus between the sociology of labour, ideology, economics and politics.

The Sociology of Work was first published in 1954. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. What are the effects of working conditions, rewards, and habits upon the institution of the family? What are the typical forms of occupational segregation, and what are the effects of such segregation upon the general society? How are the social roles appropriate to each occupation created and sustained? What social processes determine the evolution of occupational groupings and the distribution of population among them? This work, a basic study in occupational sociology, throws light on such questions as these. Professor Caplow describes the occupational system with reference to specialization, occupational status, the formation of professions, mobility, the patterning of individual careers, the occupations of women, and the prospects for continued improvement of working conditions. He draws upon hundreds of empirical studies for his discussions. The book has been warmly received by reviewers and readers. Robert Dublin commented in the American Journal of Sociology: "This volume will long stand as a sourcebook of hypotheses and thesis topics for students of industrial sociology." Writing in the American Sociological Review, George Caspar Homans called it "a wide-ranging and hard-headed study of American jobs, their place and nature." Robert C. Stone said in Social Forces: "The work is a major contribution to the study of social structure." The many specialist workers who are concerned with occupational problems--industrial and applied psychologists, personnel and guidance workers, wage economists, labor relations experts, and others--will find this a valuable reference work. It is, of course, pertinent to the interests of general sociologists and anthropologists, and is used as a text in a number of courses in occupational sociology.

First published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.