Geography 567:  Labor Processes in Regional Development
Professor James W. Harrington

5 credits
meets Thursdays 3:30 - 6:20

Labor figures prominently in all explanations of and prescriptions for regional growth and development, traditionally as a key “factor” of production and industrial location.  This seminar focuses attention on the reproduction of labor qualities, the structuring of labor markets, the process of employment search, labor control, and the design of work — referred to collectively as “labor processes.”  In a world whose local and national economies are becoming globally integrated, these labor processes define and distinguish places.   We will investigate three interlocking research approaches:  the geographic processes of labor market segmentation;  institutional perspectives on local, national, and international influences on labor processes;  and an embryonic approach that draws from post-structural thought and emphasizes issues of identity and power.