LABOR, LABOR MARKETS, and THE WELFARE STATE
POL 605-06 Fall 2003
Graduate Program, Political Science Tuesdays 6:40-8pm
William Paterson University Office:Sci 340, x 3430
Professor Christine Kelly Kellyc@wpunj.edu
Office Hours: MW 11-Noon and by appointment!
Course Description: This course examines the role of national and state policies in regulating labor conditions, in creating workplace rights for the employed, and in providing and managing subsistence rights for the unemployed and marginally employed. It also examines the roles of non-governmental actors who influence government policy, such as economic theorists, employers, business and professional organizations, unions, worker’s movements and welfare rights movements. The ways in which labor markets constitute systems of labor discipline will be explored. Attention will be paid to the ways in which public policies create and reconstitute racial, ethnic and gender inequalities in the allocation of opportunities for economic well being. Of central importance will be the historical relationship between social welfare giving ( and taking) in the United States and the impact of organized capital ( both national and international) on State(and state!) policies. We will focus on two federal policy areas (welfare reform and job training) as case studies.
Requirements:
This is a graduate seminar and as such it will structured in such a manner that you will have a great deal of responsibility for establishing the learning environment. Every week, you will be responsible for completing the entire reading and then preparing a brief critical review of the assigned reading. Each week I will make a presentation but much of our 2 plus hours will be devoted to a group exploration of the material. We will strive not only for comprehension of an authors arguments and facts, but we will interrogate each work by looking for ways we both agree and disagree and by seeking out how we might improve upon the authors argument or apply it to another question or policy concern.. The development of a critical scholarly attitude will be central to our conversations. Beyond each week’s assignment, each participant will choose a reading of particular interest and develop a 20 minute class presentation. There will, in the end, be a 25 page research paper on a topic from the class. It is my suggestion that you think very early about not only your topic but how your choice of a reading for class presentation might facilitate your final paper.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Piven & Cloward, Regulating the Poor: The Functions of Public Welfare (Vintage, 1993 edition)
Gordon Lafer, The Job Training Charade (Cornell Univ Press, 2002)
Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting By in America (Henry Holt, 2001)
Additional Required Readings will be available via computer through Electronic Reserve (ER) and through external links posted under a Blackboard site for our course.
READING SCHEDULE:
Week 1: Introduction
I. Poor Relief & Labor Markets in Historical Perspective
Week 2:
Piven & Cloward, "Chapter One: Relief, Labor and Civil Disorder" from Regulating the Poor (RTP)
Stephanie Coontz, "We Never Stood On Our Own Two Feets", from The Way We Never Were (ER)
II. Social Science and Social Policy
Week 3:
Alice O’Connor, excerpt from Poverty Knowledge (Princeton, 2001) ER
Piven & Cloward, "Chapter Twelve: Poor Relief and Theories of the Welfare State" RTP
III. U.S. Poor Relief: 1935 -1995
Week 4:
Lowi & Ginsberg, "Introduction to Public Policy" in American Government-Brief 7th ed. ER
Piven & Cloward, "Chapter Two:Economic Collapse, Mass Unemployment and the Rise of Disorder" RTP
Week 5:
Piven Cloward, "Chapter Three: The New Deal and Relief"; "Chapter Four:Enforcing Low Wage Work: Statutory Methods" RTP
Week 6:
Piven & Cloward, "Chapter Five: Enforcing Low-Wage Work: Administrative Methods"; "Chapter Six: The Welfare Explosion of the 1960's" RTP
Week 7:
Piven & Cloward, "Chapter Nine: The Great Society and Relief: Federal Intervention"; "Chapter Ten: The Great Society and Relief: Local Consequences" RTP
III. Welfare Reform:1996-present
Week 8:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2003. "Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Fifth Annual Report to Congress" (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/annualreport5/chap10.htm#_Toc25546989) Bb
Stephen Pimpare, "The Poor Law Stikes Home?" (Handout)
Week 9
Sandford F. Schram, "Racial Disparities in Welfare Policy: A New Racism?" ER
Gwendolyn Mink, "Violating Women:Rights Abuses in the Welfare Police State" in Lost Ground: Welfare, Reform, Poverty and Beyond (2002) ER
Capps, et al, "How are Immigrants Faring After Welfare Reform?" (DC, Urban Institute, August 2002) ER
Week 10 & 11
Gordon Lafer, Chapters One, Two, Three, Six, Seven & Conclusion, The Job Training Charade (Cornell, 2002)
Week 12 & 13
Barabara Ehrenreich, Nickeled & Dimed entire book.
Week 14
Research Meetings
Week 15 Research Paper Due Final Class.
LATE PAPERS WILL BE PENALIZED