Aims

To focus on the analytical programmes and proposals that make up the corpus of the
sociology of work and employment.
~ To make a methodological comparison between the various (monographic, sectoral,
typological and societal) approaches to empirical research that constitute this corpus.
To acquire a heuristic understanding of forms of employment at the level of Belgian
society.

Main themes

- The genesis and journey of the sociology of work (abandonment of the determinist paradigm, development of the subject based matrix, and a slide from an issue centred on work situation to one of employment).
Transformations of the organisation of production (the division of labour at the heart
of the socio technical approach, the crisis of Taylorism, and new forms of work organisation).
The enterprise and its logics of action.
A societal analysis of kinds of employment and of skill; the sociology of unemployment.
Identities in the workplace, and forms of insertion.
Departures from industrial society.

Content and teaching methods

The genesis and journey of the sociology of work (abandonment of the determinist paradigm, development of the subject based matrix, and a slide from an issue centred on work situation to one of employment).
Transformations of the organisation of production (the division of labour at the heart
of the socio technical approach, the crisis of Taylorism, and new forms of work organisation).
The enterprise and its logics of action (levels of analysis, company management, and
forms of modernisation).
A societal analysis of kinds of employment and of skill; the sociology of unemployment.
Identities in the workplace, and forms of insertion (types of precariousness).
Industrial society departures (individualisation, partnership, territory, and flexible
specialisation).

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Students to put together a dossier based on a weekly perusal of the economic supplements
of daily newspapers: 'Le Soir', 'La Libre Belgique' and 'Le Monde' (the 'Initiatives' supplement on Wednesdays)
Assessment: The examination will assess students' ability to resituate (i) the analytical
proposals of the corpus of the sociology of work compared with one another, (ii) the production of research outcomes according to different approaches, and (iii) problems in relation to the current conjuncture.
This course forms part of a study programme given in the evening and/or on Saturdays.

Other credits in programs