introduction to part two of the symposium on “the future of social movement unionism”

Introduction to Part Two of the Symposium on “The Future of Social Movement Unionism” Victor G. Devinatz Published online: 19 September 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008 I am most pleased to present the second part of the symposium on the future of Social Movement Unionism (SMU) in this issue’ s Perspectives section. The first part of this symposium was published in the Perspectives section in the September 2008 issue and included two essays written by Dr. Dan Clawson, Professor of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts and Dr. Peter Fairbrother, Director, Centre for Global Labour Research and Professor of Sociology at Cardiff University (Wales). In this issue, Dr. Peter Waterman, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague (The Netherlands) until 1998 and the originator of the concept of SMU in the late 1980s, responds to the two essays written by Professors Clawson and Fairbrother, respectively. In addition to offering a reformulation of SMU in the “Appendix” of his essay, Dr. Waterman criticizes Professor Clawson for implying that SMU is restricted solely to the era of struggle against neo-liberal globalization while critiquing Professor Fairbrother for his consideration that all unions are inherently a part of a social movement. Responding to Professor Waterman’ s criticisms, Professor Fairbrother and Dr. Eddie Webster, Director, Sociology of Work Unit and Professor of Sociology at University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), argue that Dr. Waterman provides a universal normative program with regards to his reworked views on SMU while critically ignoring the particular social, economic and political contexts under which union programs and strategies are constructed. As with Professor Fairbrother, Professor Clawson was provided with the opportunity to write an essay in response to Dr. Waterman but declined the invitation. Other symposiums on important employment relations topics are planned for upcoming issues of the Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal. If any of the journal’ s readers have suggestions for symposiums on particular topics, please contact me with your proposals. I hope that you enjoy this symposium and find it most illuminating. Employ Respons Rights J (2008) 20:301 DOI 10.1007/s10672-008-9090-2 V. G. Devinatz (*) Department of Management and Quantitative Methods, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-5580, USA e-mail: [email protected]

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Introduction to Part Two of the Symposiumon “The Future of Social Movement Unionism”

Victor G. Devinatz

Published online: 19 September 2008# Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008

I am most pleased to present the second part of the symposium on the future of SocialMovement Unionism (SMU) in this issue’s Perspectives section. The first part of thissymposium was published in the Perspectives section in the September 2008 issue andincluded two essays written by Dr. Dan Clawson, Professor of Sociology at the Universityof Massachusetts and Dr. Peter Fairbrother, Director, Centre for Global Labour Researchand Professor of Sociology at Cardiff University (Wales).

In this issue, Dr. Peter Waterman, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Social Studies inThe Hague (The Netherlands) until 1998 and the originator of the concept of SMU in thelate 1980s, responds to the two essays written by Professors Clawson and Fairbrother,respectively. In addition to offering a reformulation of SMU in the “Appendix” of his essay,Dr. Waterman criticizes Professor Clawson for implying that SMU is restricted solely to theera of struggle against neo-liberal globalization while critiquing Professor Fairbrother forhis consideration that all unions are inherently a part of a social movement. Responding toProfessor Waterman’s criticisms, Professor Fairbrother and Dr. Eddie Webster, Director,Sociology of Work Unit and Professor of Sociology at University of the Witwatersrand(South Africa), argue that Dr. Waterman provides a universal normative program withregards to his reworked views on SMU while critically ignoring the particular social,economic and political contexts under which union programs and strategies are constructed.As with Professor Fairbrother, Professor Clawson was provided with the opportunity towrite an essay in response to Dr. Waterman but declined the invitation.

Other symposiums on important employment relations topics are planned for upcomingissues of the Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal. If any of the journal’s readershave suggestions for symposiums on particular topics, please contact me with yourproposals. I hope that you enjoy this symposium and find it most illuminating.

Employ Respons Rights J (2008) 20:301DOI 10.1007/s10672-008-9090-2

V. G. Devinatz (*)Department of Management and Quantitative Methods, Illinois State University,Normal, IL 61790-5580, USAe-mail: [email protected]

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