The Changing World of Work is a collection of stimulating and diverse readings that ask students to think about
the meaning of work in today�s world, and how it impacts our daily lives.
Readings touch on such diverse topics as: what influences a person�s work ethic, inequalities in American work
culture, how technology has impacted today�s workplace, the ways that men and women strive to balance work and
family life, and more.
Features
Twenty-eight selections are organized into five thematic chapters: �Valuing Work,� �Work and Family Life,�
�Working with Technology,� �The Working Poor,� and �Working for Change.�
Notable writers featured in this book include bell hooks, the Dali Lama, Jeremy Rifkin, Barbara Ehrenreich,
Eric Schlosser, and others.
The reading selections challenge students to contemplate and explore questions and issues related to work such
as:
How do school and cultural institutions influence the work values that an individual develops?
What impact do government initiatives such as "No Child Left Behind" have on working families?
How have the trappings and tools of the information age transformed the workplace?
What inequities exist in the American workplace when it comes to blue collar and white collar workers, women
and men, and citizens and noncitizens?
What are some different models for working environments? What are some examples of a "satisfying"
job (including nonprofit work such as Doctors Without Borders, Peace Corps, etc.)?
�Questions for Discussion� and �Ideas for Writing� assignments follow each reading selection, prompting students
to consider the rhetorical strategies used in each reading, and explore issues raised by the reading.
�Extending the Theme� assignments at the end of each chapter encourage students to analyze and synthesize ideas
from several readings and also do further research.