Neala J. Schleuning – författare

Dr. Neala Schleuning provides a wide-ranging interdisciplinary exploration of the idea of ownership. She focuses primarily on the transition in modes and meaning of ownership since the emergence of the Industrial Revolution. Her primary argument is that the experience of ownership has been one of enclosure, which in turn conflicts with the goals of democratic society. Topics include land ownership, private property in a capitalist society, and the changing nature of ownership in a consumer society. Psychological, political, and social expressions of owning are explored, including the relationship between objects and social status, the nature of human desire and its manipulation, ownership and freedom, and the making of community. Special emphasis is placed on the relationship between the idea of ownership and the control and manipulation of women.For millenia the idea of ownership was closely tied to the land and to the creative work of individuals living in community with others. The making and sharing of objects between people lies at the core of social and political activity that has changed little over time. In the 17th century, however, ownership began to be transformed from a collective to an individual activity, and from a shared activity to one of exclusion and accumulation. In the late 19th century, ideas of owning shifted again, from the enclosure of land and capital to the personal accumulation of consumer goods.Based primarily on research in Western culture and the experience of the United States, Dr. Schleuning's book explores the deep social, political, economic, and personal forces shaping and changing the human relationship with the natural and made worlds. This work is important reading for political economists, political scientists, and others concerned with philosophical issues involving property.

The strike by Local P-9 against the Hormel Co. in 1985-86 marked a turning point in American labor history. The central role played in the strike by the Austin United Support Group brought the issues of economic justice and community survival to the forefront of the labor movement agenda. In response to isolation from their traditional communities, these women created a vital and successful strike culture that was characterized by cooperation, solidarity, and a variety of institutions to meet the economic, social, and spiritual needs of the 1,500 striking families. This work is important because it shows the strength of the women and their vision of economic justice, how deeply committed they remain to their ideals and their struggle, and how little the passage of time has diminished their anguish. This work is important also as a portrait of a typical midwestern company town where community life is colored strongly by economics.

In this thought-provoking new book, Neala Schleuning searches for the meaning of work in our society. Compellingly written, Idle Hands and Empty Hearts studies the politics and economics, as well as the philosophy and art, of work. Schleuning seeks to find out what work is, what it used to be, why we work, and what is wrong with work today. She places ideas about work in their history and culture and offers new ideas about what work should be, and what role it should play in our lives.Schleuning distills all of the central questions having to do with work in our time: why do human beings work; what can we learn about work from history; what is the impact of technology on work; how does work affect our political lives; do women have a different perspective on work; and finally, what is Good Work and how do we create a future in which good work can be realized? Anyone who ever wondered about the role of work in his or her life will find Idle Hands and Empty Hearts a source of stimulating ideas.