University of Toronto Scarborough Sociology

Sociology of Industry and Work (SOCB54)

Mondays: Noon 14:00

Instructor: Vannina Sztainbok
Office location: MW314
Email: vannina.sztainbok@utoronto.ca
Office hours: 14:00-15:00
Blackboard/Course web site: Portal
Teaching Assistant: TBA

Course Description
Economic activity drives human society. This course explores the nature of work, how it is
changing, and the impact of changes on the transition from youth to adult life. It also examines
the gendered and racialized division of labour, and why we call some jobs 'professions', but not
others. Specific themes that will be covered include: precarious labour, sexual harassment,
unions, and migrant workers.

Prerequisites
SOCA01H3 & SOCA02H3

Exclusions
SOC207Y, SOC317Y, SOC370Y

Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to name, describe, and compare the key
sociological frameworks and terminology for studying work and labour relations. Students
should be able to identify and comment on the critical issues in Canadian labour today.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to apply theoretical concepts from the course
readings and lectures to analyze contemporary workplaces, as demonstrated in an analytical
essay.

Textbooks
1) Krahn, Harvey, J., Graham, S. L. and Karen, D Hughes (2011). Work, Industry and
Canadian Society. Toronto: Nelson.
2) Coursepack SOCB54.
These texts are available at the UTSC bookstore.

Evaluation Components and Grading Policies

Analytical Essay (4-6 pages) 30% Due: March 16
Analytical Essay Proposal (1-2 pages) 10% Due:
In-Class Exercises 5% Five times during the term
Mid-term Exam (in class) 25% February 17
Final Exam 30% Exam period


SOCB54 Syllabus

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Grading Policy
All grading in this course, abides by the University of Torontos grading policy found at:
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/general/grading-policy
Summary:


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Description of Assignments and Exams

Analytical Essay (30%, 4-6 pages)
Analyze the dynamics of your workplace using theoretical tools from at least two of the readings
from this course and one other peer-reviewed article. You will receive a handout for this
assignment in class.

Essay Proposal (10%, 1-2 pages)
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Mid-term Exam (25%)
The mid-term exam will be a mix of short paragraph-style questions and multiple choice
questions. We will spend time preparing for the exam in class.

Final Exam (30%)
The final exam will have a similar format to the mid-term, involving a mix of short and mid-
length answers. We will spend part of the final class preparing for the final exam.

In-Class Exercises (5%)
You are required to complete five short in-class exercises in class throughout the term. They are
low-stakes exercises, which will enrich your understanding of course materials and your
progress on the literature review. Sometimes you will be required to reflect on the readings and
at other times the exercises will relate to the final assignment. Sometimes you will be required to
work in small groups in order to complete the exercise. The best preparation for these exercises
is to keep up with the readings and come prepared to participate in discussions when necessary.
You must complete 5 of these exercises for a total of 5%. Because the assignments will be
completed in class, attendance is crucial. They will be handed in at the end of the class and
graded on a pass/fail basis. Rather than posting specific dates, I will provide at least seven
opportunities for you to complete an in-class exercise. This means that students with good
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attendance should be able to complete at least 4-5 exercises even if they miss a class due to
illness. No make-ups, no exceptions.

Class/Seminar Format
The lectures will contextualize, expand upon and critically examine themes covered in the
readings, but I will not be providing full summaries of the readings during class. I often use
video clips, documentaries, in-class exercises, and discussions to illustrate points and build
critical thinking. Since it is difficult to replicate these experiences in notes, I encourage students
to try to attend every class.

Assessment and Feedback
The instructor and teaching assistant aim to provide constructive feedback to your assignments
and exams. When you hand in your essay proposal you will be asked to indicate where you
would like the most feedback (writing, appropriateness of topic, understanding, analysis). The
instructor welcomes students to come and talk during office hours (above).

Course Schedule

Every attempt will be made to follow this schedule, but it is subject to change at the discretion of
the instructor. Readings marked with an asterisk (*) are in the coursepack. Readings marked with
a double asterisk (** ) are available through the University of Torontos library catalogue or
online.

January 11: Introduction

January 18: Capitalism, Industrialization, and Work

Krahn, Lowe and Hughes: Introduction

Krahn, Lowe and Hughes (Ch. 1) Capitalism, Industrialization, and Postindustrial Society

January 25: Employment Patterns

Krahn, Lowe and Hughes (Ch.2) Canadian Employment Patterns and Trends

**Cranford, C.J., L. Vosko and N. Zukewich (2003). Precarious Employment in the Canadian
labour market: A statistical portrait. Just Labour: A Canadian Journal of Work and Society, pp.
6-22.
http://www.justlabour.yorku.ca/index.php?page=toc&volume=3

Feb. 1: Labour Markets

Krahn, Lowe and Hughes (Ch. 3) Labour Markets and Jobs: Opportunities and Inequalities

*Adams, T. and S. (2008). Work, alienation, well-being and health. In The 0rganization and
experience of work (pp. 51-68). Toronto: Nelson.

Feb. 8: Gender and Work
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Khran, Lowe and Hughes: Ch. 4: Womens Employment
*Tyler, Melissa and Philip Hancock. (2001). Flight Attendants and the Management of Gendered
organizational bodies. In, Kathryn Backett-Milburn and Linda McKie (Eds.), Constructing
Gendered Bodies (25-35). London: Palgrave.

February 15: Midterm Exam
February 22: Reading Week
March 1
st
: Race, Gender, and Work
*Nakano Glenn, Evelyn. (2001). From servitude to Service Work: Historical Continuities in the
Racial Division of Paid Reproductive Labor. In Laurel Richardson, Verta Taylor and Nancy
Whittier (Eds.), Feminist frontiers IV., eds. 4th ed. (57-70). New York: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
*Flynn, Karen. (1999). Proletarianization, professionalization and caribbean immigrant nurses.
In Nuzat Amin, Frances Beer, Kathryn McPherson, Andrea Medovarski, Angela Miles and Goli
Rezai-Rashti (Eds.), Canadian Woman Studies: An Introductory Reader (243-249). Toronto:
Inanna Publications and Education Inc.
March 8: Immigrants, Globalization and the Racialized Division of Labour
**Sharma, N. (2002). Immigrants and Migrant Workers in Canada: Labour Movements, Racism,
and the Expansion of Globalization. Canadian Woman Studies Reader, 21(22), pp. 18-25.
**Justicia for Migrant Workers. (2006). The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. In Justicia
4 Migrant Workers website. http://www.justicia4migrantworkers.org/saw_new.htm
March 15: Work and Globalization: Commodity Fetishism
*Fridell, G. (2012). Coffee and Commodity Fetishism. In Deborah Brock, Rebecca Raby and
Mark P. Thomas (Eds.), Power and Everyday Practices (pp. 277-298). Toronto: Nelson.

March 22: Unions

Krahn, Lowe and Hughes (Ch. 6) Conflict and Control in the Workplace

Krahn, Lowe and Hughes (Ch. 7) Unions, Industrial Relations and Strikes

April 5: Experiences in the workplace

**Hughes, K.D. and Tadic, V. (2002). Something to deal with: Customer sexual harassment
and womens retail service work in Canada. Gender, Work & Organization, pp. 207-219.

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**Barneston, B. (2010). Children working alone in Alberta: How child labour and working alone
regulations interact. Just Labour: A Canadian Journal of Work and Society 17&18, 34-48.

April 8 (Monday class to make up for Good Friday)
Review

Procedures and Rules

1. Missed exams and assignments

Accommodation provision: In general, for missed tests or assignments we follow UTSC
policy about accommodation for the following three reasons:
Illness, or
Religious observances (i.e., holy days), or
o http://www.viceprovoststudents.utoronto.ca/publicationsandpolicies/guidelines/rel
igiousobservances.htm
Other unplanned circumstances entirely beyond the students control (e.g., a court
subpoena for which you have no option except to show up, a funeral).
Reasons such as too much work, technology failure, weddings, or not adding the class
in time, are not compelling reasons. For assignments, you are expected to plan ahead.

Documentation: In all cases, appropriate supporting documentation is required (e.g.,
University of Toronto Student Medical Certificate available at:
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/registrar/sites/files/registrar/public/shared/pdfs/forms/medcert_w
eb.pdf
a note from a religious official concerning a holy day, a death certificate, an accident
report). You must also declare your absence on ROSI.

1a. Missed Exams

Students who miss the midterm will be assigned a mark of zero for that test unless they
satisfy the following conditions:

Students who miss a test for reasons beyond their control (e.g. illness or an accident)
must notify the instructor as soon as possible. The absence must be supported by
Original documentation (e.g. medical certificate, accident report)
Medical certificates MUST include the statement This student was unable to write the
test on the date(s) for medical reasons. Documentation MUST show that the physician
was consulted within ONE day of the test. A statement merely confirming a report of
illness made by the student is NOT acceptable.

Deadlines: You have up to one (1) week from the date of the missed test to submit your
request and supporting documentation. (Late requests will NOT be considered without a
letter of explanation as to why the request is late.)

Nature of accommodation: The accommodation for a missed test in this course is a make-up
exam. No student is automatically entitled to a second make-up test.

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1b. Late assignments

An assignment is considered late if it is not submitted by the due date on the syllabus. In
order not to be considered late a hard copy or Blackboard submission of the assignment must
be submitted by the beginning of class. A hard copy should accompany all Blackboard
submissions.
Late assignments should be submitted to the instructors box on the second floor of the
Social Sciences Building (MW not the department office staff or other instructors and NOT
by email.
You are expected to keep a back-up copy of your assignment in case it is lost.



Late Penalty:
Late assignments for reasons that are within your control will be penalized 2% of the
total per day. Assignments that are more than two weeks late will not be accepted.
The penalty will run from the day the assignment was due until the day it is submitted
electronically (via Blackboard); you are still required to submit a hard copy in the
instructors box, in class, or in office hour. The electronic copy must be identical to any
hard copy submitted.
The penalty period includes weekends and holidays.

Missed Assignments:
If you miss any two requirements (midterm or assignments) it is assumed that unfortunately you
have been too ill or indisposed to benefit from the course, and you should retake it the following
year. Otherwise, the second missed requirement will be given a mark of zero.

2. Grade appeals. The instructor and teaching assistant(s) take(s) the marking of assignments
very seriously, and will work diligently to be fair, consistent, and accurate. Nonetheless,
mistakes and oversights occasionally happen. If you believe that to be the case, you must adhere
to the following rules:
If it is a mathematical error simply alert the instructor of the error.
In the case of more substantive appeals, you must:
1. Wait at least 24 hours after receiving your mark.
2. Carefully re-read your assignment, all assignment guidelines and marking
schemes and the graders comments.
3. You have 30 days after receiving a mark to appeal it.
If you wish to appeal:
A. You must submit to the instructor a written explanation of why you think
your mark should be altered. Please note statements such as I need a higher
grade to apply to X are not compelling. Also, please note that upon re-grade
your mark may go down, stay the same, or go up.
B. Attach to your written explanation your original assignment, including all
of the original comments. Submit a hardcopy of the package to the instructor
during office hours, in class, or in the instructors box.
C. You will receive a response via email or in person about your re-grade.


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3. Final exams

Final examinations are scheduled, administered, and governed by the policies set out by the
Office of the Registrar (see the UTSC Calendar). Any student granted a deferral by the
Office of the Registrar will be required to write a deferred examination at the next exam-
writing session scheduled by the Office of the Registrar.

4. Electronic communication and electronic learning technology: Email communication is
rapid, convenient, and efficientand you are encouraged to use it to enhance your learning and
experience in the course. With that said, it is essential that you follow a few rules:
Assignments will not be accepted via email. You must submit assignments via
Blackboard and in hard copy.
All course communication should be conducted through Blackboard or your Utormail
account.
All emails must include the course code (e.g., SOCB54) in the subject line.
All emails should be signed with the students full name and student number.
Emails from students will generally be answered within 48 hours of receipt (not including
weekends).
Treat emails as you would any other professional communication.
Emails that ask questions that are answered in the course syllabus or website (e.g., how
much is assignment X worth) will not receive a response.

Emails that do not follow these guidelines will not receive a response.

5. Classroom etiquette
Students are expected to arrive at class on time. Laptops are allowed in class, but they should
be used for notes only. Other uses (e.g., emailing, web surfing) will result in the students
being required to turn off the laptop and it may affect your final grade.
Videotaping and recording lectures is strictly forbidden without written permission from the
instructor.

Equity in the Class: Education has the potential to be empowering and transformative. It is
important to acknowledge, however, that we are all positioned within relations of power,
particularly with respect to hierarchical categories including gender, race, class, ability, and
sexuality. I am committed to addressing the power imbalances that arise and I invite you all
to participate in the difficult but rewarding process of creating an equitable classroom. This
includes being aware of when we are speaking from a position of power/privilege and when
we may be silencing and/or oppressing others. Crucially, I want you to know that the
respectful participation of each one of you in class discussions is valuable and significant.
Your varied knowledge and perspectives will enrich the class experience. We want to hear
what you have to say!

6. Academic integrity
Copying, plagiarizing, falsifying medical certificates, or other forms of academic misconduct
will not be tolerated. Any student caught engaging in such activities will be referred to the
Deans office for adjudication and punishment. Any student abetting or otherwise assisting
in such misconduct will also be subject to academic penalties.
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By enrolling in this course, students agree to abide by the universitys rules regarding
academic conduct, as outlined in the Calendar.
You are expected to have read and understood the on-line document How Not to Plagiarize
(http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize)
You are expected to be familiar with the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
(www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/behaveac.htm) and Code of Student Conduct
(http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/studentc.htm) which spell out your rights,
your duties and provide all the details on grading regulations and academic offences at the
University of Toronto.

7. Student resources
Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. In particular, if you
have a disability/health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to
approach me and/or the AccessAbility Services as soon as possible.
AccessAbility Services
AccessAbility Services staff (located in Rm SW302, Science Wing) are available by appointment
to assess specific needs, provide referrals and arrange appropriate accommodations 416-287-
7560 or email ability@utsc.utoronto.ca. The sooner you let us know your needs the quicker we
can assist you in achieving your learning goals in this course.
The Centre for Teaching and Learning provides online and individual support for getting started, writing,
research, reading, revising, citation guidelines, and English language development. You can check their
list of services on the website http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/home/.

Writing Centre - This free service provides support for teaching and learning through writing for
all University of Toronto Scarborough students. Check their website http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/
for writing workshops, writing clinics, drop-in hours, individual appointments, and online resources.

English Language Development -` Sign up for the Communication Cafe and many other
programs, and enhance your communication skills.
Math and Statistics Learning Centre - Free seminars, workshops, virtual tutoring, individual
appointments, and small-group consultations can improve students' proficiency in mathematics
and statistics.
Service Learning and Outreach - Through service learning, students enhance their knowledge
and concepts gained in the classroom.
Research Skills Instruction - Research skills instruction provides students with individual
research assistance in person, by phone, by email, and by chat.
Facilitated Study Groups - In these weekly study groups for selected UTSC courses, students
compare notes, discuss important concepts, and develop study strategies.

A variety of other student resources can be found on the UTSC website under Student Affairs
and Services http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~stuaff/. These resources include academic services,
registrar and registration services, diversity & equity, administrative services, and other personal
support services.