Course Meeting Time and Place: Mondays 17:15-21:30, World Trade Center

Instructors: Craig P. Dunn, Ph.D

Office: SS 3105

Office Hours: TBA

Phone: 594-5783 (office/voicemail)

E-mail: craig.dunn@sdsu.edu

Class E-Mail Distribution: mala600a@lists.sdsu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to engage the student in both rigorous intellectual inquiry as well as personal reflection. Work is arguably the primary pursuit for a vast majority of us. Yet, when asked what gives purpose and meaning to our lives many of us tend to leave work off the list. Living within a culture in which many of us have lost control over our own work, work has become of merely instrumental value in the quest for other meaning-giving activities in our lives.

What is work? How does work differ from other human pursuits? What are the dimensions of work and its context which serve to provide it meaning and purpose? Are there personality variables which account for work satisfaction? These and other related questions provide the `grist' for this course.

This course has been offered within the MALA curriculum in order to stress the necessity of experiencing meaning in our work lives...and to engage students and faculty alike in the common pursuit for work which is both purposeful as well as enjoyable. The overriding pedagogical objective is to have each of us develop a plan for insuring that we experience work as an expression of our most deeply held values. Accomplishing this objective entails introduction to a broad range of theoretic frameworks as the role of work in creating meaning, purpose and enjoyment is examined.

This course has been designed to be a challenging and exciting course for the MALA student. Most of the student's prior coursework has been concerned with structured topics closely related to a well-developed body of theory; not so with work and meaning. There is not a specific set of skills serving to lead you through the course, and no unifying meta-theory to inform your decisions. The problems and issues of meaningful work embrace the entire spectrum of philosophical, social, and organizational theory--as well as the fields of the arts and humanities.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Each student should have a clear understanding of what work is, and how work is different from other human pursuits;
2. Each student should understand the variety of ways in which work is connected with other human pursuits--a matter of integrity;
3. Each student should have a clearly articulated understanding of what gives their individual work life meaning;
4. Each student should have developed a plan for creating meaningful work in their career and beyond.

EVALUATION POLICY: A maximum of 1000 points may be accumulated in this course. Point distribution varies as follows (see grading contract at end of syllabus for details):

GRADING STANDARDS: The following University-wide grading standards will be used to determine final course grades. You are responsible for monitoring your own progress throughout the course.

PLAGIARISM "Plagiarism is formal work publicly misrepresented as original; it is any activity wherein a person knowingly, directly, and for lucre, status, recognition, or any public gain resorts to the published or unpublished work of another in order to represent it as one's own. Work shall be deemed plagiarism: (1) when prior work of another has been demonstrated as the accessible source; (2) when substantial or material parts of the source have been literally or evasively appropriated (substance denoting quantity; matter denoting qualitative format or style); and (3) when the work lacks sufficient or unequivocal citation so as to indicate or imply that the work was neither a copy nor an imitation. This definition comprises oral, written, and crafted pieces. In short, if one purports to present an original piece but copies ideas word for word or by paraphrase, those ideas should be duly noted;" (Lindey, Alexander, Plagiarism and Originality, 1952; as cited in San Diego State University 1992-93 Graduate Bulletin).

"Wittingly or willfully to ignore or to allow students' ascription of others' work to themselves is to condone dishonesty, to deny the purpose of formal education, and to fail the public trust;

Accordingly, one who is suspected or accused of disregarding, concealing, aiding, or committing plagiarism...must be liable to an appropriate penalty, even severance from the University...should the demonstrated plagiarism clearly call into question one's general competence or accomplishments" (San Diego State University 1992-93 Graduate Bulletin).

READINGS: Three books as well as a readings packet (available from Aztec Notes) are assigned for this course. The texts include:

Briskin, Alan		`The Stirring of Soul in the Workplace'
Richards, Dick		`Artful work: Awakening Joy, Meaning, and Commitment in the Workplace'
Rifkin, Jeremy		`The End of Work'

A list of additional reading resources for the course follows; any of these works are appropriate for the Reading Report (see assignment section which follows):

		`Sharing Prosperity' (01 September Business Week cover story)
		`Work and Family' (15 September 1997 Business Week special report)
Aronowitz, Stanley & DiFazio, William		`The Jobless Future'
Barker, Jane & Downing, Hazel		Word Processing and the Transformation of Patriarchal Relations in the Workplace. In Donald MacKenzie and Judy Wajcman, eds. `The Social Shaping of Technology: How the Refrigerator Got its Hum'
Berle & Means		`The Modern Corporation and Private Property'
Bolman, Lee G. & Dea, Terrence E.		`Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of the Spirit'
Frankl, Viktor		`Man's Search for Meaning'
Haraway		`The Cyborg Manifesto'
Hardt & Negri		`Labor of Dionysus'
Katz, Leslie (ed)		`The Bitch-goddess Success; Variations on an American Theme' (includes De Tocqueville)
Korten, David C.		`When Corporations Rule the World'
Leider, Richard J.		`The Power of Purpose: Creating Meaning in your Life and Work'
MacArthur		"Genius" Award Recipients
Mariarosa, Dalla Costa		`Wages for Housework' `Paying the Price: Women and the Politics of International Economic Strategy'
Martinez & McCaughan		'Chicanas and Mexicanas within a Transnational Working Class' in `Between Borders: Essays on Mexicana/Chicana History'
Moore, Thomas		`Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life'
Moss-Kantor, Rosabeth		`Men and Women of the Corporation'
Noer, David M.		`Breaking Free: A Prescription for Personal and Organizational Change'
Pulley, Mary Lynn		`Losing Your Job--Reclaiming Your Soul'
Santayana, George		`Realms of Being' 'The Idler and His Works, and Other Essays'
Sullivan, William		`Work and Integrity: The Crises and Promise of Professionalism in America'
Taylor, Frederick		`The Principles of Scientific Management'
Terkel, Studs		`Working'
Viswanathan, Gauri		`Masks of Conquest: Literary Study and British Rule in India'
Whitmyer, Claude (ed.)		`Mindfulness and Meaningful Work: Explorations in Right Livelihood'
Whyte, David		`The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America'
Wilson, Sloan		`Man in a Gray Flannel Suit'
Windle, Ralph (ed.)		`The Poetry of Business Life: An Anthology'
Wolman, William & Colamosca, Ann		`The Judas Economy: The Triumph of Capital and the Betrayal of Work'

You are expected to read each assigned chapter and/or article before the scheduled discussion of that reading. In addition, assigned case studies and supplementary reading materials will be made available.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Discussion Questions (0 points):
For each week throughout the term discussion questions will be posted to the web-site schedule. Each student is responsible for accessing these questions from the web, coming to class prepared with written notes of response, and engaging with the issues raised during class discussion.

Individual Writing Projects (200-300 points):
There will be five writing projects assigned approximately every third week throughout the term. Each student is to respond to any four of these prompts. These assignments relate most particularly to the readings over the immediately prior three weeks, and will be distributed in hard-copy form one week before their due dates (but will be posted to the course web-site schedule prior to in-class distribution). Writing projects shall be typed using double-spacing, must adhere to a strict two-page limit (we will remove and dispose of any additional pages prior to grading), and will under no circumstances be accepted late. Principal evaluation criteria will be adequacy of analysis, clarity and conciseness of arguments, use of theory to support arguments, and professionalism.

Final Paper (200-300 points):
Each student is to submit a proposal no later than the fourth week of class outlining a project related to the general topic of creating meaningful work in their career and beyond. These proposals will be reviewed by course faculty and returned to the student with relevant comments. This proposal then becomes the 'contract' for the final paper assignment.

Term projects shall be typed using double-spacing. There is no page length requirement; however, conciseness will be one of the evaluation criterion. Typed drafts of your term project may be submitted for comment any time prior to the 1st of May. A self-evaluation of this project (form to be distributed under separate cover) is to be submitted along with the final paper draft. Students are to offer the class a presentation on their final paper project on the last day of class. Presentation can take any form which meaningfully expresses the plan outlined in the final paper. Evaluation criteria for the final paper include:

Depth of reflection

Adequacy of analysis

Clarity and conciseness of plan

Integration of course readings

Professionalism of project

Creativity of project

Self-evaluation

As one option for this assignment, consider the October 1997 Inc. Magazine cover story What Comes Next?. Author Jim Collins addresses this article to those individuals who are "seeking a different kind of business life--one richer in meaning, more grounded, more sustainable." In order to fulfill this quest, Collins suggests that one examine three things: What you stand for, What you're good at, and What people will pay you for. "Resonance" occurs when one operates at the intersection of these three 'principles.' While Collins outlines this process as one to be applied at the organizational level, it can just as appropriately be applied at the personal/career level. The final paper might therefore engage the student in the process of developing a personal mission statement (What you stand for), articulating individual talents (What you're good at), and evaluating the job market (What people will pay you for). As a first step toward developing a statement of what you stand for, Collins recommends making two lists: "one for things that I would continue to do if I woke up tomorrow and discovered I had $20 million and 10 years to live, and another for things that under those circumstances I'd stop doing."

Class Presentation:
Three options are available for the class presentation. Students may opt for any one or a combination of these assignments.

option a--Seminar Facilitation (0-300 points): Each 1-3 member team taking this option is to facilitate discussion for one class session. These 'presentations' are to address the seminar readings as catalogued in the web-site schedule. The facilitators will be responsible to: 1) prepare relevant questions for discussion to be both e-mailed to the instructors as well as distributed in hard copy one week prior to their scheduled seminar; 2) provide a summary overview of the literature to be discussed for the selected class session; 3) introduce relevant commentary and/or supplementary readings where appropriate; 4) relate the required reading to the topic under discussion as well as the individual writing assignments and final paper; 5) illustrate the topic under discussion through the creative linking of theory to practice; and 6) provide an annotated bibliography of related readings. The objective is to engage the class in discussions which will facilitate the execution of individual writing assignments. Groups are encouraged to meet with the course instructor(s) prior to their 'presentation' in order to help 'frame' the class session.

Areas that will be considered (in addition to those previously or subsequently mentioned) in evaluating the group seminar project include:

Adequacy of analysis

Clarity and conciseness of arguments

Integration of social theory within discussion of topic

Professionalism/creativity of presentation

Linking of theory and practice

A one-page double-spaced typed project proposal is to be submitted by each group for approval no later than the end of the second week of class. Groups are to indicate their preferred presentation date. Please note that other than this proposal, a two-page executive summary to be submitted in both hard-copy and electronic format, and the annotated bibliography there is no written component to this assignment.

option b--Community Involvement (0-300 points): One topic which will be discussed in this course is the relationship between work and rewards. Volunteer work perhaps best illustrates the fact that at least some work may have intrinsic value which serves as the primary 'motivator.' The 'deliverable' component of this community service learning option may be a Poster--image and text which explain what you did (literacy project, project with kids, etc.), and which evaluate what you did in terms of service, social action, research, and learning, and elucidates how you benefited or changed, and what you concluded--or it may be a paper (5-7 pages) addressing these same issues. The issue of charity vs social action should be addressed. The student's primary responsibility is to present their 'deliverable' to class in a twenty minute 'presentation,' followed by a question and answer session. Examples of sample initiatives include:

1) Barrio Logan Elementary Institute (an after school program for first generation Mexican American students at Perkins Elementary that includes field trips, a mentor program and meetings with parents);
2) Support Group for Maquiladora Workers;
3) Literacy Project with Migrant Workers (under the auspices of Migrant Education, San Diego County Office of Education--contact Caludia Montano Nabours, 619-569-5353 (cnabours@sdcoe.k12.ca.us.));
4) Community Art project (contact is Danieyl; see Professor Hicks for details).

You should work out a schedule of 40 hours over the semester with the organization you choose, and keep a reflective log to be turned in with your project.
A one-page double-spaced typed project proposal is to be submitted for approval no later than the end of the third week of class by each class member selecting this option . Preferred presentation date should be indicated in this proposal.

option c--Reading Report (0-150 points): Students selecting this option are to read and one piece of literature relevant to the course content, and then report back to the class. The intention of this assignment is to expose the class to as many alternative constructions of the concept of 'meaningful work' in as brief an amount of time as possible. Each 'presentation' will be limited to twenty minutes, including time for questions. Students choosing this option should address themselves to those questions outlined in the opening section of this syllabus. A list of sample readings is offered elsewhere in this syllabus; in order to avoid duplication of treatment, titles will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. It is also acceptable for the student to report on contemporary novels, films, poetry, music, and/or theatre arts which relate to the general theme of meaningful work.
A one-page double-spaced typed project proposal is to be submitted for approval no later than the end of the third week of class by each class member selecting this option . Preferred presentation date should be indicated in this proposal.

CONTRACT: Outlined above are the course activities available to students, including ranges of possible points. Each student is to fill out and return to the professor a binding contract (see electronic form below) for work to be completed this session. You are to fill out the number of points desired for each activity. The total number of points must total 1000. Points for each activity will range from 0-30% of the course grade, depending upon the individual assignment and weightings. Points must be selected in increments of 50.

For example, you may choose to minimize the points on the Final Paper and the Writing Projects (200 points each) by completing Seminar Facilitation and Community Involvement at their maximum point objectives (i.e., 300 points each). Note that in this evaluation scenario you would not be doing the Reading Report. In all cases, class participation is mandatory. Failure to attend and participate in scheduled class sessions may be reflected in final course grading.

To send your MALAS 600A contract, fill out the following form thoroughly and completely. This form must be submitted electronically. Confirmation will be made by return e-mail.

Meaning of Work Contract: The following agreement is entered into by the designated MALA student and Professors Dunn and Hicks for work to be completed Spring session, 1997/98. It is understood that this agreement is not subject to change. Additionally, course participation (or lack thereof) may be reflected in final course grading. First Name: Last Name: Student ID: -- Complete E-mail Address: Point Objective for Writing Projects: select here 200 250 300 Point Objective for Final Paper: select here 200 250 300 Class Presentation: Point Objective for Seminar Facilitation: select here 0 200 250 300 Point Objective for Community Involvement: select here 0 200 250 300 Point Objective for Reading Report: select here 0 50 100 150 Please make certain the above point objectives total 1000. By sending this form, you agree to be evaluated on the basis of this contract as well as by the terms of the course as outlined in this syllabus.