Welcome - Knowledge, Work and Culture in the Contemporary World SOSA 3005   Knowledge, Work and Culture in the Contemporary World
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Since the publication of Daniel Bell's book, "The Coming of Post-industrial Society", studies of the economic structure of the advanced societies have addressed the question of the extent to which we are living through a transition to a new, knowledge-driven economy which may be qualitatively distinguished from the system of industrial capitalism which has characterized North America and western Europe for most of this century. Whether one uses terms like “postindustrialism”, “postmaterialism” or “postmodernism”, debates have centered on the question of fundamental alterations in the economic, cultural and political organization of technologically advanced societies. Are we witnessing the creation of an “information economy”, are we observing the emergence of a new “knowledge class”, which rules by virtue of its educational skills and credentials, is there a new underclass being excluded from paid employment of any form, and is government being privatized to facilitate new forms of global economic integration? Are new types of social movements arising in response to basic changes in our society? This course will address the above questions, with particular emphasis being devoted to discuss issues in contemporary political economy.
FORMAT: Lecture
PREREQUISITES: One 1000 level SOSA course or FYP
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