Overview

This unit investigates the politics and ethics of work. Through a series of case studies, the unit examines the exploitative and liberating aspects of work and analyses the power dynamics embedded in employment relationships. Drawing on politics, history, sociology, philosophy, and law, this unit provides students with a broad understanding of the domestic and international experiences of work, its legal and ethical framework, and its transformative capacity.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Consider, compare, and contrast the liberating and exploitative dimensions of work
  • Analyse the relationship between work and equality in societies
  • Evaluate how people have shaped societies through their struggles over work
  • Construct a framework that reflects on the ethical, social, legal and political aspects of work

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture		 1.00  8 weeks  8 
On-campus
Workshop 1		 4.00 1 week 4
On-campus
Workshop 2		 4.00 1 week 4
On-campus
Class		 2.00  8 weeks  16
Live Online
Workshop 		 2.00 4 weeks 8
Specified Activities
Various		 2.00  10 weeks  20
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		 7.50  12 weeks  90
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Reflective Essay Individual  30%  1,2,3,4 
Portfolio of Worksheets Individual 30%  1,2,3,4 
Project Presentation Group 10%  1,2,3,4 
Project Report Individual/Group 30% 1,2,3,4

Content

  • The meanings of work
  • Divisions of labour
  • Alienation and control
  • Legislating work
  • Inequality at work
  • Workplace rights
  • Precarious work
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.