How has federal policy sought to intervene in labor relations, and whose interests has it served? How has the labor market transformed over time, and what has that meant for the material conditions of communities of color? And as technology reshapes work, will it reduce racial inequality or reproduce it in new forms?
One of the primary axes of racial inequality is economic stratification, largely produced through unequal returns to work. This course examines two interrelated forces driving that inequality: the changing occupational structure of the American economy, and the policy systems that govern who gets access to good jobs, and who doesn't.
Students will gain a historical grounding in workforce policy, trace the macroeconomic transformations that have reshaped labor markets, and build concrete skills for designing policy that centers racial equity. Across the semester, we move from structural analysis to applied practice, interrogating not only why "good" and "bad" jobs are distributed along racial lines, but what it would take to change that.
Topics include: occupational segregation, the architecture of the federal workforce development system, unions and worker power, employer control and monopsony, pay and benefit disparities, discrimination and workplace harassment, the rise of gig and precarious work, and entrepreneurship and access to capital.
Outcome #1: Students will gain a historical perspective on workforce policy, and the impact of these policies on workers of color. (How has federal policy sought to intervene in labor relations, and how has those policies impacted workers of color?)
Outcome #2: Students will explore the macro-economic structures which have transformed the labor market over time and understand the working parts of the workforce development system. (How has the labor market transformed over time and what has that meant for the material conditions of communities of color?)
Outcome #3: Students will research and assess real-time workforce policy interventions with the goal of racial equity at the center. (What would it actually take to reduce racial inequality in the labor market?)
The Ripple Effect Project is a quarter-long collaborative research and policy initiative designed in partnership with the Los Angeles Black Worker Center (LABWC). LABWC is a community-based organization that advances Black worker rights and economic justice in Los Angeles. Its mission is to build power among Black workers, increase access to quality jobs, and shape policies that address systemic labor market discrimination.
In this class, your work will support LABWC by documenting the national landscape of Black worker policy and developing a set of strategic recommendations for future campaigns in California. You will work in teams to complete a three-part project culminating in a classroom pitch and shared policy database. This project is worth 60% of your total grade and builds toward real-world advocacy and organizing tools.