SOCIOLOGY OF WORK

Course objectives

1. Knowledge and understanding: after having passed the exam students will know a) the conceptual equipment developed by classical and contemporary sociologists for to study phenomena related to work; b) empirical evidences and investigation problems in this area. 2. Applying knowledge and understanding: after having passed the exam students should be able to define, analyse and explain with sociological instruments the work phenomena 3. Critical faculties should be developed writing short texts and participating in discussions in the classroom 4. Communications skills. The ability to communicate what was learned should be developed stimulating participation in classroom discussions 5. Learning skills. The ability to continue studying the topics should be developed providing students with bibliographies for further study on the topics addressed

Channel 1
FABRIZIO PIRRO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
"Work" as a perspective of analysis. Historic scenario: Industrial Revolution, the time and the market. The evaluation of work and the interest moralizing. Material disciplining and cultural conditioning. The enterprise. The organization of work and Taylor-Fordism. The subjects: entrepreneurs, workers, employees, managers and executives. The labor market, unemployment and employment instability. The contract system: trade unions, industrial relations, labor conflicts. Identity in work: job, technology and time. The contents of work. Lean manufacturing and "total quality". The work and the meaning of work. Emerging issues: generations, gender, ethnicity.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the main sociological theories and methodologies.
Books
1) A. Accornero, , in collaborazione con F. Pirro, Il mondo della produzione. Sociologia del lavoro e dell’industria, il Mulino, Bologna, 20134 2) to choose a “classic” between: - P. Deane, La prima rivoluzione industriale, il Mulino, Bologna - A. Accornero, Il lavoro come ideologia, il Mulino, Bologna - T. Veblen, La teoria dell’impresa, Angeli, Milano - F.W. Taylor, L’organizzazione scientifica del lavoro, diverse edizioni - H. Ford, La mia vita e la mia opera, diverse edizioni - W. Sombart, Il borghese. Lo sviluppo e le fonti dello spirito capitalistico, diverse edizioni - M. Weber, L’etica protestante e lo spirito del capitalismo, diverse edizioni - A. Accornero, Quando c'era la classe operaia. Storie di vita e di lotte al Cotonificio Valle Susa, il Mulino, Bologna. - N. Dennis, F. Henriques e C. Slaughter, Una vita per il carbone. Analisi di una comunità mineraria dello Yorkshire, Rosenberg & Sellier, Torino - C.R. Walker e R.H. Guest, L’operaio alla catena di montaggio, Angeli, Milano - A.P. Sloan, jr., La mia General Motors, il Sole-24 Ore, Milano - A. Baldissera, La svolta dei 40 mila. Dai quadri FIAT ai Cobas, Comunità, Milano - M. Crozier, Il mondo degli impiegati, FrancoAngeli, Milano - G. Gasparini, Gli impiegati. Una analisi della condizione impiegatizia nel lavoro, nel sindacato, nella sfera extra-lavorativa, Angeli, Milano. N.B .: Some of these texts are out of business but they are available in university libraries.
Exam mode
Answer to six open questions in one hour.
Lesson mode
Classroom-taught lessons with multimedial tools.
  • Lesson code101132
  • Academic year2024/2025
  • CourseSociology
  • CurriculumLavori e Organizzazioni
  • Year3rd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDSPS/09
  • CFU6
  • Subject areaDiscipline sociologiche