Introduction to U.S. Labor History

Topics

• Students will develop a firm understanding of some of the major historical themes and general discourses shaping U.S. labor relations throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
• Students will learn to examine the sources and consequences of change in labor relations over time within the context of the broader patterns and issues of American political, social and economic history.
• Students will learn to think about work, class, and the economy as fluid concepts that are shaped by diverse perspectives and interests, and influenced by race, gender, and national identity.
• Students will learn to evaluate the evolving actions of workers, labor unions, employers, and the American public to establish government policies for regulating labor relations.
• Students will develop key methodological and analytical tools for historical research and writing in a clear and critical manner.

Official roster learning outcomes