Evolution of Work in America: Industrial Revolution through Post-Industrial Society and Beyond

From farm to factory to office to virtual, work in the United States has dramatically changed since the turn of the last century. In this course we will examine the evolution of work and the struggle of unions, governments, workers, and employers who shape and are shaped by these changes. We will also assess forces framing the work of tomorrow. Through books such as Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, David Foster Wallace’s The Pale King, movies such as Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times and episodes of The Office, we will assess both the impact of work on culture and culture’s impact on work.