This thesis describes the details and rationale of a study exploring particular organizations that work to address structural inequalities in our society, local labor unions. The purpose of this study was to explore local labor unions using the lens of mediating structures, in which specific program components or activities that local labor unions sponsor for their members are examined as mechanisms of democratic participation. In this way, light may be shed on the organizational mechanisms that have made unions vital in citizen mobilization and voter turnout.
Labor leaders within the Kansas City metropolitan area were surveyed about their union-sponsored programs and activities, specifically internal, nonelectoral political, and electoral democratic activities, and asked some general demographic information about their unions. These data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to paint a picture of the union landscape in Kansas City, as well as to provide an insight into the internal workings of mediating structures. Union memberships were predominantly white and male. Positive correlations were found between proportion of male members and general election turnout estimates; and between union size and nonelectoral political activities as well as electoral activities. Nonelectoral political activities were offered most regularly, followed by electoral, then internal activities. Average democratic activity overall, as measured by the survey, was high. Implications for labor unions and other mediating structures, as well as limitations of the study are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VANDERBILT/oai:VANDERBILTETD:etd-07292005-141337 |
| Date | 12 August 2005 |
| Creators | Hanlin, Carrie E. |
| Contributors | Douglas D. Perkins, Isaac Prilleltensky |
| Publisher | VANDERBILT |
| Source Sets | Vanderbilt University Theses |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-07292005-141337/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Vanderbilt University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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