New Labor Forum, Vol. 18 #1, Winter 2009 Issue
FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM
An Election to Remember: Two Views
Election 2008: A Mortal Blow to the Politics of Racism?
By James Steele
The Obama campaign released racism’s grip on U.S. politics. What are the chances the new multiracial coalition will endure?
A New Era Beckons: Labor and the Turning Point Election of 2008
By Bob Master
Will 2008 go down, like 1932, as an historic election for labor and for the country? Only if we make it happen.
Solidarity First: Labor Rights Are Not the Same as Human Rights
By Jay Youngdahl
The human rights movement may undermine labor’s drive for collective rights.
Solidarity and Human Rights: A Response to Youngdahl
By Lance Compa
Youngdahl Replies
By Jay Youngdahl
Labor’s Conundrum: Growth vs. Standards
By Max Fraser
Can unions ramp up membership without sacrificing the rights, benefits, and power of the rank-and-file?
Will Growth or Standards Build a Mass Movement?: A Response to Fraser
By Stephen Lerner
In Defense of Standards: A Response to Fraser
By John Borsos
A Tale of Two Tiers: Dividing Workers in the Age of Neoliberalism
By Ken Jacobs
Is the two-tier wage system a thing of the past or the wave of the future?
Turning the Tables: Sustainable Solutions to the Global Food Crisis
By William Kramer
Why have food prices soared and how can labor help reverse the trend?
Making City Hall Sweat: Using Procurement Power for Worker Rights
By Bjorn Claeson and Eric Dirnbach
With the help of the Sweatfree Consortium, more state and local governments are doing their part to combat sweatshop labor.
Working-Class Voices of Contemporary America
Youth Activism in the Labor Movement: 3 Perspectives
By Rachel Haut, Natalie Kelly, and Max Mishler
Three young labor activists reflect on their union internship experiences.
Economic Prospects
By Robert Pollin
Caught in the Web
By Kim Phillips-Fein
Labor news, views, and resources online.
Books and the Arts
Assimilation Anxiety
Reviewed by Kadzi Mutizwa
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
By Junot Díaz
Finding Labor’s Beat
Reviewed by John Russo
The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker
By Steven Greenhouse
State of the Unions—How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy, and Regain Political Influence
By Philip M. Dine
Covering for the Bosses: Labor and the Southern Press
By Joseph B. Atkins
Which Way for Capitalism?
Reviewed by Michael Zweig
Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism, and the Economics of Growth and Prosperity
By William J. Baumol, Robert E. Litan, and Carl J. Schramm,
America Works: Critical Thoughts on the Exceptional U.S. Labor Market
By Richard B. Freeman
Out of the Mainstream: Books and Films You May Have Missed
By Matt Witt
About Our Contributors