Industrial, Organisational and Labour Studies 3B

This is a 16 credit module that runs from the 17th September to 2 November. The module is taught by Shaun Ruggunan and Azad Essa. Contact details for Shaun and Azad are listed below.

Introduction

This exciting six week module has as its themes globalisation and labour. At third year level you have already acquired some knowledge of the different theories and aspects of globalisation. This module builds on this knowledge but has a specific focus on three themes. Firstly we examine processes of globalisation and how these processes impact on workers and labour markets. Secondly we investigate global labour migration as a key process of globalisation and thirdly we look at opportunities and challenges of organising workers on a global scale. By labour I refer to individual workers as well as organisations of workers that may exist in the form of trade unions or in other organisational forms.

Assessment

Please make a note of all dates in your diaries. This is a VERY SHORT term and no extensions can be granted unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please note that attendance at all blog practicals, tutorials and lectures is compulsory for you to obtain a duly performed (DP) certificate.

The module is has a range of different assessment strategies as follows:

1. Tutorials (20%)

   There are two tutorials that are worth 10% each for a total of 20%. Each tutorial is based on a film or documentary that you will watch. You will watch your first film on the 15 October in the 4th and 5th period (venue to be confirmed). You will receive your tutorial question on this date as well. The first tutorial that you will attend is on 19 October in the 8th and 9th period. Your tutorial is due on the 22nd October at 12 noon.

   You will watch your second film on the 22nd October in the 4th and 5th period (venue to be confirmed). You will receive your second tutorial question on this date as well. The second tutorial that you will attend is on the 26 October in the 8th and 9th period. Your tutorial is due on the 29 October at 12 noon.

2. Blog (group work) (20%)

   You are required to work in groups of 2-5 people each to produce a blog on the internet. Azad Essa will run a workshop with you on what a blog is and how to get one up and running on the internet. Your blog will be assessed on a weekly basis and is examinable. You will be given clear assessment guidelines as to what criteria will be used to assess your blogs. You will have 4 blog sessions in the 4th and 5th periods in the multimedia LAN on the following dates: 17 September, 1 October, 8 October, 29 October. You are expected to work outside these times on your blog as well.

3. Essay (20%)

   You will be given two essay topics and you chose one to write your essay on. Your essay must be between 3000-3500 words and must be typed. You must use www.mydropbox.com to process your essay before submitting it. This will be explained further in class. The essay is due on the 2 November at 12.

4. Examination (40%)

   Your examination will consist of two essay questions, of which you answer one. In addition you will be given two short questions, of which you answer one.

Lecture, Tutorial and Blog Timetable

Theme One
Week One/4 lectures/2 practicals
The new global economy
17 September – 4 October

The aim of this theme is to provide an overview of how global capital has reshaped the world’s economy. We examine some of the key trends of this ‘reshaping’ paying specific attention to how shifts in the global economy impacts on workers and the nature of work. In doing so we examine transnational corporations, the new supply and demand areas of the world for skilled and unskilled labour, and the rise of global labour flexibility as a consequence of neo liberal globalisation. In achieving these aims we will also engage with the globalisation literature and debates. We therefore build on your existing knowledge of globalisation. We try to organise your existing knowledge about globalisation to allow you to make specific claims or arguments about globalisation and its impact on work and labour markets in the 21st century.

Prescribed Readings:

Dicken, P (2004) Global Shift: Reshaping the global economic map in the 21st Century, Guilford Press. New York.

Chapter Two: A new geo economy.

Chapter Fifteen: Winners and Losers: an Overview.

Chapter Sixteen: Making a living in Developed Countries: Where will the jobs come from?

Chapter Seventeen: Making a living in Developing Countries: Sustaining growth, Enhancing Equity, Ensuring Survival.

The readings below are three to four pages only each. They represent the key ideas of some of the key thinkers on globalisation. They contain the key ideas of each theorist in their own words. So don’t be intimidated by the list!

Modelski, G. Globalisation. In Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Held, D, McGrew, A, Goldblatt, D & Perraton, J. Rethinking Globalisation. Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Geyer, M & Bright, C. World History in a Global Age. Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Hirst, P & Thompson, G. Globalisation-a Necessary Myth? Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Castells, M. The Network Society. Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Harvey, D. Time-Space Compression and the Postmodern Condition. Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Giddens, A. The Globalizing of Modernity. Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Beck, U. What is Globalisation? Held, D, McGrew, A (eds.) 2000. Conceptualising Globalisation, In The global transformations Reader: An introduction to the Globalisation Debate, Polity. Cambridge.

Recommended Reading

Pellerin, H. (2000) Crisis? What Crisis? The politics of migration regulation in the era of globalization. In. Koffman, E & Youngs G (eds.) Globalization: Theory and Practice. Continuum. London.

Massey, D & Jess, P eds. (2003) A Place in the World? Places cultures and Globalization Oxford University Press, Oxford. Pp. 1-45

Held, D, McGrew, A, Goldblatt, D & Perraton, J eds. (1999) Chapter Six: People on the Move. In Global Transformations. Politics, Economics and Culture, Polity. Cambridge.

Theme Two
8 October -18 October
4 lectures/1 Practical/1 Film/1 Tutorial
Global Labour migration and the development of global labour markets: the case of a supply side country: the Philippines

The aim of this theme is to define what we mean by a labour market and more specifically a global labour market. We investigate how these labour markets are created, and identify a few contemporary examples of global labour markets. We also examine if there is a single ‘impact’ of globalisation on workers. In other words are all workers effected in the same way by the processes of globalisation, or does it depend on the type of labour markets they participate in.

Prescribed readings:

Bello, W (2004) The anti-development state. The political economy of permanent crisis in the Philippines. University of the Philippines Press. Manila. Pp.1-33

Lindio-McGovern, L (2003) Labor export in the context of globalisation. The experience of Filipino domestic workers in Rome. International Sociology,18 (3). Pp513-534

Pinches, M (2000) Class and National Identity: the Case of Filipino Migrant Workers. In Hutchinson, J & Brown, A (eds.) Organising Labour in Globalising Asia. Routledge. London.

Pyle, J &Ward, K (2003) Recasting our understanding of Gender and Work during global restructuring. Sociology. 18 (3) pp 461-489

Rodriguez, R (2002) Migrant heroes. Nationalism, citizenship and the politics of Filipino migrant labor. Citizenship Studies. 6 (3) pp 341-356

Sassen, S (1996) Losing Control? Sovereignty in an age of Globalisation. Columbia University Press. New York. Pp.63-105.

Tyner, J (August 2000) Migrant labor and the politics of scale: gendering the Philippine state. Asia Pacific Viewpoint. Pp 131-154.

Tyner, J (August 2000) Migrant labor and the politics of scale: gendering the Philippine state. Asia Pacific Viewpoint. Pp 131-154.

Theme Three
4 lectures/1 film/1 tutorial
22 October -1 November
Global Labour migration and the development of global labour markets: the case of a demand side country: Mexican migrant workers in the United States of America

Reading:

Waldinger, R & Lichter, M. (2003) How the Other Half Works

Immigration and the Social Organization of Labor: University of California Press, California.

You will be referred to specific chapters in this book. Azad Essa will also refer you to other readings.

Theme Four
6 internet sessions
Throughout module in Blog/practical groups
Organising labour in a globalising world

In this theme we try to establish what the role of the trade union is in organising and servicing labour in a globalising world. In investigating this issue we look at all categories of workers and not just migrant workers. One of the issues facing workers that are mobile or not based permanently in their countries of origin, is that of worker representation. You are therefore expected to design a blog that engages with the issue of worker representation.

Blog Topic: You have been asked by a trade union 9given your I(OLS background) to design a blog that communicates to its membership (or part of its membership) new possibilities of organising and servicing workers in a globalising world. The trade union that has hired you recognizes that it may be out of touch with new developments in labour markets and workplaces in a globalising world. The union has therefore agreed for you to design a blog and then based on nature of the blog (at the end of 6 weeks), the union will decide whether to hire you as permanent consultants.

Instructions:

You need to organize into groups of 5-6 students. No more than 6 please.

You need to chose an industrial sector that interests you. This could be clothing and textile, transport workers, automobile workers, migrant workers. The choice is yours but once you decide you need to get final approval from Azad or Shaun. You can do this via email or just asking one of us as soon as you have decided.

The blog must include a mixture of different media. This includes writing, internet links, pictures, video if you can and any other media that will enhance the ‘look and feel’ of the blog.

Whilst style and visual representation is important, substance is paramount. Your blog must deal with issues identified by the module in a deep and substantive way. This could be in the form of commentary on readings or research your group has done on the sector/union you have chosen. The best way to understand what is required is to look at examples of blogs on the internet.

Your blog must be live. In other words there must be evidence throughout the six weeks that you are working on it and we must be able to witness an evolvement of the blog over this period of time. Further your blog must be interactive, which means that people should be able to post comments and you should be able to reply as well. It is compulsory for all groups to post comments on each others blogs. Tutors and lectures will also be doing the same.

Your blog will assessed on the following criteria:

Visual Appeal. This refers to design of the blog. Is it too busy or too minimal for example? (20%)

Substantive engagement with issues. Is the blog just a collection of opinions or does it draw on the literature and case studies you have covered. How effectively have you been able to communicate this in a simplified way to an internet (and mostly non-academic audience) (20%)

Credibility of links and sources. How carefully have you selected your internet links and internet sources. Are you relying on wikipedia only or more credible websites? (20%)

Originality of approach in dealing with issues.(20%)

”Liveness level” or how current is the blog. Is it frequently updated? (20%)

Remember your blogs will be accessible to a global community and will be linked to the IOLS University website.

You may find the following websites useful as a starting point.

www.itf.org.uk

www.costau.org.za

www.migrante.org

www.ilo.org

www.migrationinformation.org

www.antenna.nl/~waterman/dialogue.html

www.iom.int

Essay Topics 

You have a choice of two essay topics. Your essay must be between 3500-4000 words (excluding references). You must have a proper reference page and any evidence of plagiarism will result in a mark of 0%. The essay is due on the 30th October @ 4pm. There will be NO EXTENSIONS due to the shortness of the term. If there are exceptional circumstances, please apply for an extension by obtaining an extension form from Ms Amanda Kinners. Please note that the department policy of minus 5% will apply for each day that the essay is late with the weekend counting as one day.

Question One

Mainstream theories of globalisation argue that the state is an increasingly weak and passive agent in a globalising world. Evaluate this statement by comparing and contrasting the Philippine states’ labour export policy with that of the USA’s policy on migrant, specifically Mexican migrant labour.

OR

Question two

The shift in the way the global economy is organised has impacted in several ways on the security of workers in the formal sector. Assess the validity of this statement.

Examination

Your examination is tentatively scheduled for November. Please consult the examination timetable to confirm this when it is available. The format of the examination will be discussed at the end of October.

Shaun Ruggunan and Azad Essa