Building and fashioning a career is one of the most important facets of an individual's life. However, the types of things people desire for their work, how they come to know what types of work are available to them, and how they contend with features of both the micro and macroeconomy that affect their ability to make a living are shaped by political forces far more than individual action. This course looks at changes in the American Political Economy throughout the end of the 20th century to ask questions such as: how do different occupational sectors respond to major economic shifts in terms of who they hire? How does access to education shape people's perceptions of what it means to have a "good life"? How do recessions shape political desires? This course draws from diverse fields such as political psychology, political economy, education, and sociology to think about how the very personal nature of selecting a career is mediated by broader political forces that straddle the bounds between the state and the market.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 28

Prerequisites: None.

Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis

Typical Periods Offered: Spring

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered

Notes: