New Directions in the Study of Work and Employment

Charles Whalen''s book identifies avenues leading to the revitalization of industrial relations as an academic discipline. The contributors, a stellar assemblage of the field''s leading scholars, demonstrate there is much work to be done: the scope and intellectual content of industrial relations need to be reconsidered; academic and social institutions must be reshaped; and new conceptual and practical issues demand attention.

The contributors to this volume examine a broad range of issues. Some chapters explore the conceptual boundaries and core assumptions of the field. Others probe how industrial relations correlates with social capital, the law and globalization. Still others outline new approaches to academic programs and institutions, labor and employment journals, and the integration of teaching and community service. A wrap-up chapter by MIT''s Thomas Kochan ties all this together and presents additional insights on the revitalization of the field.

Industrial relations scholars, labor studies, sociology and business professors as well as many practitioners will find much to recommend in this book.