Skip to Main Content Libraries

IDS 101: Work: Making a Life

Weary employees working late into the night at their offices

Work: Making a Life Making a Living

Work is more than a way to make a living; it’s also a big part of life. What makes for a good career or even just an adequate work-life? The answers have changed throughout history, differ across cultures and societies, and vary by individual perspective. Some people’s jobs define their personal identities, while for others work is just a routine part of adulthood. Some endure drudgery for higher pay or simply to make ends meet. Some people pursue long-term career ambitions while others, willingly or not, bounce from job to job or shift occupations repeatedly. Social distinctions - gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, health status, and generation – condition the experience of work. The occupational structure is ever-changing and can seem arbitrary, but its intricacies powerfully shape work-life. Some jobs are prestigious or lucrative or both, while other work is less respected or low-paid, even when it is essential to society. What factors make-up working lives and cause them to differ? Do people craft good work-lives by choosing their endeavors thoughtfully and taking pride in their work, or does it depend much more on circumstances and luck? Do public policies and social conventions determine work-life’s patterns and value, or are jobs intrinsically better or worse? How have the basic features of work-life changed across history, and will current trends related to automation and artificial intelligence systems, job-hopping and the gig economy make the goal of a planned, coherent career obsolete? Our colloquium will explore these questions by reading, speaking, and writing about a variety of texts - social science studies, journalism, ethnographic interviews, and documentary films.

        Course taught by: Greg Felker                                      Colloquium Associate: Sean Olson

 

2 images of tired employees working late at night retrieved from website = https://pikwizard.com/s/photo/hazardous+work+place/.

The Research Cycle

Explore Your Topic

1. Explore Your Topic

Before you settle on a topic, it's a good idea to do some background research first. The library is a great source for background information!

Refine Your Topic

2. Refine Your Topic

Now that you've done some background research, it's time to narrow your topic. Remember: the shorter your final paper, the narrower your topic needs to be.

Search for Sources

3. Search For Sources

After you've refined your topic, it's time to start searching for sources. Do you need books, articles, or something else?

Evaluate Your Sources

4. Evaluate Your Sources

It's always a good idea to evaluate sources before using them in your assignment. Do you need to have scholarly sources or the most recent research?

Writing Center

5. Write

Pull everything together to share your argument and your evidence. Tie ideas from your sources together with your own thoughts and analysis to make a compelling case.

Willamette University

Willamette University Libraries

Mark O. Hatfield Library
900 State Street.
Salem Oregon 97301
Pacific Northwest College of Art Library
511 NW Broadway.
Portland Oregon 97209