From Alienation to Addiction

Over the past two hundred years, work experiences have changed greatly, causing new issues such as heightened boredom and alienation, but also new levels of obsession with work. This book looks at the modern changes in work, examining global patterns but also special features of the work culture in the United States. For the world, the United States, and also key groups such as women and children, understanding the modern history of work goes a long way toward explaining key issues in the U.S. work culture today. Chapter 1 Introduction: Analyzing Work as an Experience; Chapter 2 Work in Premodern Societies; Chapter 3 Work and the American Tradition; Chapter 4 The Impact of Industrialization; Chapter 5 Modern Work the American Way; Chapter 6 Rearranging Modern Work: The Young, the Old, and the Female; Chapter 7 Global Trends in the Past Half Century: The Industrialization of the World; Chapter 8 A Workaholic Nation? The Past Half Century; Chapter 9 Conclusion: Work Issues in the Present and Future;