The Thought of Work

by John W. Budd

John W. Budd's The Thought of Work provides a much needed and highly eloquent statement of the meanings and orientations to work across time and nations. It is essential reading for students of work from senior scholars to beginning undergraduates. ― Randy Hodson, Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences The Ohio State University and past editor ― American Sociological Review By drawing explicit attention to diverse, implicit meanings of work, The Thought of Work allows us to better understand work, to value it, and to structure it in desirable ways that reflect its profound importance. What is work? Is it simply a burden to be tolerated or something more meaningful to one's sense of identity and self-worth? And why does it matter? In a uniquely thought-provoking book, John W. Budd presents ten historical and contemporary views of work from across the social sciences and humanities. By uncovering the diverse ways in which we conceptualize work—such as a way to serve or care for others, a source of freedom, a source of income, a method of psychological fulfillment, or a social relation shaped by class, gender, race, and power—The Thought of Work reveals the wide-ranging nature of work and establishes its fundamental importance for the human experience. When we work, we experience our biological, psychological, economic, and social selves. Work locates us in the world, helps us and others make sense of who we are, and determines our access to material and social resources. By integrating these distinct views, Budd replaces the usual fragmentary approaches to understanding the nature and meaning of work with a comprehensive approach that promotes a deep understanding of how work is understood, experienced, and analyzed. Concepts of work affect who and what is valued, perceptions of freedom and social integration, identity construction, evaluations of worker well-being, the legitimacy and design of human resource management practices, support for labor unions and labor standards, and relationships between religious faith and work ethics.

Genres: Nonfiction

264 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sencer Turunç · Rating 5 out of 5]

Çalışmayı, insanlık durumuna eziyet veren zahmetin laneti olarak görmek, çalışmanın evrensel bir kavramlaştırılma biçimidir. (sayfa 56)

Allan Manning: "...insanlar bir işe girdiklerinde bunun haberini omuz silkerek karşılamak yerine kutlamak için bara giderler... ve işlerini kaybettiklerinde de derhal yeni bir iş bulmaktan ziyade üzüntülerini bastırmak için bara giderler." (sayfa 135)

Ana akım iktisadi düşüncede çalışma, genel olarak faydayı azaltan bir şey olarak görülür - yani, çalışma ıstıraptır. (sayfa 161)

Phylis Moen: "kariyerler, kişisel biyografilerin sıkıştırılmış kapsüllerinden daha fazlasıdır; beklenen davranış ve ilişkilerin bir repertuvarını tanımlayan sosyal bir yapının içine konumlanmışlardır (ve bu yapının devam etmesine de hizmet ederler)." (sayfa 227)

Bilgi, güçtür ve bilimsel yönetim, bilgiyi işçiden işverene kaydırarak işleri niteliksizleştirir. (sayfa 243)

Gibi gibi... Özellikle de kimlik olarak çalışma ve sınıfsal (sosyal) bir ilişki olarak çalışma başlıkları altındaki tartışmaları basit ama ilgi çekici buldum.

[Laura Skladzinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a lot of fascinating insights, but was incredibly dry and too packed with information. I found it quite a slog to get through, and it took me a few months since I wasn't very motivated. I think it's best to read perhaps one chapter a week, interspersed with other books, as the content was awesome but it was far too academic to really be enjoyable.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book! I read it for my dissertation. I appreciate the massive undertaking of presenting extant thinking on a topic (work) that is both broad and deep. John Budd had a lot of ground to cover with this book and he did it very well. Very helpful for anyone who researches work!

[Leyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for my human resource management module and it was one of the few books in my study that I could read with pleasure. The wording is great and the topics make sense.