Greetings!
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the worst jobs crisis since the Great Depression and led to a massive contraction of the global economy. Given that the pandemic occurred within a historical moment defined by unprecedented inequality, it is not surprising that the resulting economic crisis has made the lives of many working people in the United States more vulnerable and precarious.
Within this context, labor research is more important than ever. We are calling for two broad types of papers that will help us understand the impact of the health and economic crises on working people in the United States.
Proposals due November 15th (see below for details).
(1) The Big Picture:
We invite papers from all disciplines that explore the broad/global/macro changes that have not only impacted working people, but been shaped through their struggles both within and beyond the workplace. For example:
- What is the differential impact of the twin crises on working people based on race/ethnicity, nationality, immigration status, class, gender, age, occupation/industry, etc.
- What has been the reaction of industry/business in terms of reorganizing work arrangements and labor relations, altering production methods/networks/strategies, adjusting pay and benefits, outsourcing, etc. How have working people responded?
- How have the labor movement and working people fought back or attempted to mitigate the worst impacts and unequal effects of the current crisis? What has been the importance of unions during this period – and going forward? How have unions been impacted – politically, economically, organizationally, etc.?
- What has been the impact of the crises on the type/volume of public spending and policies that impact working people? What are the short and long-term prospects in this area?
- How do we understand the pandemics historically – in terms of the longer political, economic, and cultural processes they were situated in and themselves shaped?
(2) The Case Studies:
We also invite papers from all disciplines that explore how the twin health and economic crises have played out on the ground for workers, whether it be in particular industries (i.e. hotel, restaurant, healthcare, construction, farm work, education, travel, domestic work, etc.), or with respect to various issues (health/safety, housing, childcare, etc.) or around the kinds of struggles that workers have engaged in both within and outside the workplace.
- How have workers and their families been impacted by, adjusted to, and/or fought back against the twin crises?
- How have workers experienced changes at work – in terms of labor relations, pay/benefits, labor intensity, etc.
- How have changes in the workplace impacted the lives of working families beyond work?
Authors of accepted papers will participate in a one-day conference on March 26th where they will present their paper and receive feedback from conference participants. After discussion with the conference organizers/editors, the authors will then deliver a finished chapter by June 1st to be published in an edited book.
To submit a proposal, please send a (a) two-page CV and (b) one-page abstract of the proposed paper by November 15th to laborresourcecenter@umb.edu and steve.striffler@umb.edu.
For those outside of Boston, please apply for conference funding by including a rough cost of expenses to attend the conference.
Thank you,
The Labor Resource Center
