Critical discourses on work

elective courses

Participation in the seminar requires basic knowledge in the field of sociology of work and knowledge of the English language allowing for reading popular science sociological texts.

Classroom

The course is intended for students interested in the sociology of work, who want to expand their theoretical knowledge with critical and alternative approaches to work. Participants of the course will learn about the most important historical and current discussions about: job alienation, various forms of unpaid work, political projects regarding worktime reduction or “abolition of work”.

Work, as a deliberate human action that changes nature, especially formalized as (permanent) employment, is one of the most essential elements of human life: it is the source of identity, social bonds, a sense of purpose, meaning and structure. Such an approach, represented, among others, by Marie Jahoda and the co-authors of the classic study "Marienthal's Unemployed", is challenged by authors who notice the problems of alienation, exploitation, or the subordination of life to work. Critical discourses of work also concern its definition and scope: feminist researchers and theorists propose the concept of reproductive, caring or emotional labour. Moreover, apart from the discourse of the work ethos, there has always been an opposite discourse – refusal of work, as well as political projects to limit it (variously understood). Currently, one of the popular project is the unconditional basic income (which, however, already existed in the 1970s), which already functions in the broad public discourse. During the course, students will learn about current critical discussions about work, as well as their genealogy. The aim of the seminar is to familiarize participants with the arguments of work critics, as well as a reflective discussion on the functions of work, its status, definitions and role in social life.

Subsequent classes will cover the following topics:

• alienation of work,

• refusal of work,

• unpaid work of women,

• emotional labour,

• shadow work,

bullshit jobs,

• precarisation and work-for-employment,

• immaterial labour,

• post-work,

• unconditional basic income

B. Russell, „Pochwała lenistwa”

K. Marx, “Rękopisy ekonomiczno-filozoficzne z 1844 r.”

H. Marcuse, “Człowiek jednowymiarowy”

K. Weeks, “The problem with work”

M. Dalla Costa, S. James, “The power of women and the subversion of the community”

A. Russell Hochschild, “Zarządzanie emocjami. Komercjalizacja ludzkich uczuć”

C. Lambert, „Shadow work: The Unpaid, Unseen Jobs That Fill Your Day”

M. Lazzarato, “Immaterial labour”

Zerowork Collective (wybrane teksty)

D. Frayne, “The work refusal”

P. Thompson, „The refusal of work: past, present and future”

M. Fisher, “Prywatyzacja stresu”

G. Standing, “Prekariat. Nowa niebezpieczna klasa”

D. Graeber, „Praca bez sensu”

M. Szlinder, „Bezwarunkowy dochód podstawowy”

K_W01 knows and understands basic sociological concepts

K_W02 has ordered knowledge in the field of social sciences and humanities

K_W04 is aware of the existence of theoretical and methodological disputes in contemporary sociology

K_W07 is aware of the existence of various types of social organization in the past and today

K_W11 understands the social nature of relations between individuals, groups and social institutions

K_W14 has a basic knowledge of the cultural diversity of Poland and the modern world

K_W16 has a basic knowledge of the problems arising from the cultural diversity of contemporary society

K_W35 is aware of the choice of a specific theoretical perspective and sees the consequences of this choice

K_K05 can participate in discussions

K_K06 can argue theses put forward

K_K14 respects the opinions of other people (e.g. those expressed during a group discussion)

K_U05 is able to formulate simple independent judgments about the causes of selected social processes and phenomena

K_U06 can use the basic theoretical categories to describe social changes in contemporary societies

K_U19 can describe the role of culture in the functioning of the individual and

society

K_U20 can read and understand a scientific text and indicate its main theses, author's arguments and discuss them

K_K07 can make a critical analysis of sources

The final grade will be issued on the basis of an essay (at least 5 pages of standard typescript).

The hours devoted to classes in the classroom (30h) should be supplemented with the time necessary to prepare for classes (reading books, making notes) - 10 hours and the time necessary to prepare for the final test - 5 hours.