Meaningful Work and Workplace Democracy : A Philosophy of Work and a Politics of Meaningfulness

Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Yeoman, Ruth, 1964-Meaningful work and workplace democracy : a philosophy of work and a politics of meaningfulness / Ruth Yeoman. pages cm Summary: "Meaningful Work and Workplace Democracy is a timely revival of the social and political importance of meaningful work. Drawing upon moral philosophy, political theory and sociology of work, this book creates a philosophy of work based upon the value of meaningfulness, and addresses contemporary concerns that work has become irretrievably degraded by evaluating how this understanding of meaningfulness remedies alienation, domination and distorted social recognition. In order to retrieve the emancipatory potential of all kind of work, this book argues for the institution of a new politics of meaningfulness through a system of workplace democracy which combines democratic authority with participatory practices, concluding that making work meaningful is both the legitimate and achievable object of political and social action" -Provided by publisher. This book is a timely revival of the social and political importance of meaningful work, which explores a philosophy of work based upon the value of meaningfulness and argues for the institution of a new politics of meaningfulness. Meaningful Work and Workplace Democracy is a timely revival of the social and political importance of meaningful work. Drawing upon moral philosophy, political theory and sociology of work, this book creates a philosophy of work based upon the value of meaningfulness, and addresses contemporary concerns that work has become irretrievably degraded by evaluating how this understanding of meaningfulness remedies alienation, domination and distorted social recognition. In order to retrieve the emancipatory potential of all kind of work, this book argues for the institution of a new politics of meaningfulness through a system of workplace democracy which combines democratic authority with participatory practices, concluding that making work meaningful is both the legitimate and achievable object of political and social action Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-7 Conceptualising Meaningful Work as a Fundamental Human Need....Pages 8-38 Proliferating Meaningful Work: Meaning-Making and an Ethic of Care....Pages 39-67 Overcoming Alienation: Irreducible Autonomy and Phronetic Techne in a Practical Rationality of Caring....Pages 68-95 Confronting Domination: Freedom and Democratic Authority....Pages 96-122 Restoring Dignity: Social Recognition in Practical Identity Formation....Pages 123-153 ‘The Inner Workshop of Democracy’: Agonistic Democratic Practices and the Realisation of Emancipatory Potentials....Pages 154-184 Capability Justice and a Politics of Meaningfulness....Pages 185-205 Conclusion....Pages 206-211 Back Matter....Pages 212-260 "Cover"--"Half-Title"--"Title" -- "Copyright" -- "Dedication" -- "Contents" -- "Acknowledgements" -- "Introduction" -- "1 Conceptualising Meaningful Work as a Fundamental Human Need" -- "2 Proliferating Meaningful Work: Meaning-Making and an Ethic of Care" -- "3 Overcoming Alienation: Irreducible Autonomy and Phronetic Techne in a Practical Rationality of Caring" -- "4 Confronting Domination: Freedom and Democratic Authority" -- "5 Restoring Dignity: Social Recognition in Practical Identity Formation" -- "6 'The Inner Workshop of Democracy': Agonistic Democratic Practices and the Realisation of Emancipatory Potentials" -- "7 Capability Justice and a Politics of Meaningfulness" -- "Conclusion" -- "Notes" -- "Bibliography."