COSEM-UA 121 - Moral Dilemmas of Work and Care in the 21st Century

Institution:

New York University

Subject:

Description:

Modern societies have long sought to reconcile the conflict between self-development and caring for others by dividing women and men into different moral categories. Structural arrangements (such as the separation of home and work) and cultural pressures (such as the norms of intensive motherhood and good-providing fatherhood) expect women to find personal fulfillment in caring for others and men to care for others by sharing the rewards of their independent pursuits. Yet the rise of fluid families and post-industrial workplaces has severely undermined this gender division of "moral labor." As women take on increasing economic responsibilities and men face a dwindling pool of stable jobs, rigid moral categories have given way to new moral dilemmas. In crafting an identity, how do women and men balance work commitments with a personal life? In forming adult relationships, how do they weigh the need for autonomy with the desire for enduring commitment? In caring for children, how do they trade off earning a living with family time? This course examines the link between blurring gender boundaries and the rise of new moral dilemmas of work and care. We examine the institutional roots of these dilemmas, explore the new strategies people are developing to resolve them, and consider the social and political consequences of these revolutionary shifts.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.nyu.edu

Phone Number:

(212) 998-1212

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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