International Trade and Labour Standards

Course Code: 
SOCI3044

This course is intended to acquaint the student with the dynamics of international trade and labour standards in the present world system.  It links both history and the contemporary.  Students will be asked to examine the position of the Caribbean and other developing countries within the global economic system.  Issues of economic dependency, under-development, capitalism and the Caribbean response to globalization will all be discussed.  The role of the International Labour Organization (ILO) as an adjunct of the United Nations, as well as other international organizations that affect the Caribbean will be examined.  Various conventions of the ILO will be analysed both internationally and regionally relating to; freedom of association and the right to organize, equal enumeration, setting and monitoring labour standards and child and forced labour among others..  The current influence and power of international trade organizations and their impact and challenges they present to the development of Caribbean economics, will form part of the discourse.  Students will be exposed to guest lecturers from relevant international organizations.

On completion of the course the students are expected to have knowledge of how the international trade and labour standards affect the region.  Students should be able to discuss issues of development and their policy implications for the Caribbean.  They are also expected to offer some solutions and/or policy initiatives to the region’s perennial economic and social problems caused by the hegemonic behaviour of international trade organizations in the Caribbean.

Semester: 
Semester 2
Pre-Requisites: 
SOCI1002 AND/OR SOCI1003
Department: 
Sociology, Psychology and Social Work