United States: eight key themes in sociology of work

Abstract

This paper discusses the evolution of the sociology of work in the United States in the post-World War II period. We conceptualize the sociology of work broadly, as the study of jobs and organizations as well as its links to social stratification and inequality, political economy, and worker power, among other topics. We identify eight major enduring themes: work organization and the labor process; labor markets and careers; professions and professional work; employment relations; meaning of work; unions and worker power; workplace stratification and inequality; and labor force diversity. For each theme, we summarize some of the main issues, research questions, and studies that have revealed important aspects of work in the United States. These themes are likely to continue to be significant topics in the sociology of work in the United States in coming years.

Keywords

• Careers
• employment relations
• inequality
• labor markets
• professions
• unions