The sociology of work in Latin America - A complex development and current challenges

This article on the development of the sociology of work in Latin America addresses changes in the main themes, interdisciplinary relationships, and research methodologies during three periods, beginning in the 1950s. During this era, the themes shifted from modernization, to working-class organization under democracy and dictatorship, and, most recently, to structural adjustment and economic globalization. The sociology of work has become increasingly linked to other social sciences, history, management, and industrial engineering Researchers use an array of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Current challenges for the discipline in Latin America include the relationships between the labor process and labor markets, and between intrafirm processes and interfirm connections, and the introduction of gender and labor culture perspectives into the analysis of new production paradigm.