Labor and Globalization

Examination of the social, political and economic effects of the expansion of global capitalism, with an emphasis on the impact on workers in the United States, and New York City in particular. The course surveys the phenomenon of "globalization" from several critical angles' as a central aspect of the historic development of capitalism, as a recent development of an old process, as a new frontier in social studies, and as a force for the betterment and/or detriment of the world. It explores theories of economic development and trade and examines those from a variety of differing perspectives. What is the relationship between corporate globalization and economic growth, employment, poverty, and democracy? We examine the impacts on workers and unions and consider models of organizing in the current context including global unions, cross-border solidarity campaigns, anti-sweatshop work, corporate social responsibility, and worker protest. Finally, we consider some of the models of political economy that are posed as alternatives to corporate globalization.