SOCIOLOGY OF WORK AND OCCUPATIONS

Work and occupations are examined in historical and contemporary contexts. Emphasis will be placed on the characteristics of professions and the attempts of occupations to professionalize. Focus will be on the macro level (the effects of advancements in technology, bureaucratization and unionization on the division of labor), the microlevel (job satisfaction and alienation), and on the interface between macro and micro levels (do individuals of equal ability have equal access to prestige careers regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, or other attributes).