Jane Stinson: Work & Labour
Bridging Theory and Activism in the Work & Labour Program:
A conversation with Jane Stinson
In September 2020, the Institute of Political Economy launched its Work and Labour program. A dynamic, diverse program, it offers students from a broad range of experiences鈥攕tudents, activists, labour leaders and staff, policymakers and analysts alike鈥攁n opportunity to analyzes questions relating to work, trade unions, and the labour movement.
Providing core knowledge, critical thinking, research and problem-solving skills, its students learn the skills necessary to work on labour issues in unions, non-profit organizations, government and academia, and to delve into theory to analyze the complex ways in which work and labour intersect with issues of gender, race, colonialism, globalization, environment and technological change.
In addition to supporting professional development and a rigorous, critical approach to issues pertaining to work and labour, this program provides a reflective space for experienced practitioners in the labour movement, and the opportunity to work and learn with specialists in work and labour, active in advocacy and academia in Canada and abroad.
In short, this program is exceptional and one-of-a-kind, thanks in part to Jane Stinson, an Institute of Political Economy alumni and lifelong activist and researcher.
Jane鈥檚 working and thinking on issues concerning work and labour has been years in the making.
She worked with the for 30 years in numerous capacities and she enrolled in the Institute of Political Economy鈥檚 Master鈥檚 program in 1999 while taking a break from work. She drew on this experience during Her graduate education provided an opportunity to be exposed to new ideas and reflect on her experience, completing
She cites her grassroots work as deeply influential for her own research and teaching, 鈥淚鈥檝e always had a foot in academia and the trade union movement 鈥攕ometimes at the same time, sometimes at different times in my life. Sometimes when you’re working, things comes at you really quickly, and you have to respond really quickly. I鈥檝e found in my life it鈥檚 been helpful to take periods to step back from that, and think and reflect on things, and explore academic knowledge and understanding.鈥
After leaving CUPE in 2009, she began investigating the impact of economic development on women in northern communities, and ways to influence impact assessments in order to democratize decisions being made about resource extraction as Director of the , and with the . There, she has volunteered and worked in a variety of capacities鈥攁 researcher, a board member, a project lead, and even President鈥攚orking on equality for women, , and .
In 2015 Jane reconnected with the Institute of Political Economy, as part of a core team (with Cristina Rojas, Donna Coghill, Justin Paulson and Teresa Healy) developing the proposal for the Institute鈥檚 new diploma program in Work and Labour. She now teaches its core course, PECO 5002, and chairs the Work and Labour program advisory board.
鈥淲hen we were preparing the application to start the program, we did an analysis of courses offered at 杏吧原创, and there wasn鈥檛 much being offered on work and labour,鈥 Jane explains. 鈥淥ne student said that PECO 5002 was the first course she鈥檇 taken that also talked about the role of trade unions.鈥
The Work and Labour program aims to fill this gap by bringing these critical, oft-neglected issues front and center. Class discussions typically draw upon the research interests and workplaces of its students, leading to conversations that address a wide breadth of questions. Jane offers a few examples:
鈥淲e look at how the nature of work, the labour market and the role of trade unions have changed over time, what is going on now and what is possibly coming. For example, on the issue of precarious employment鈥攁re we all going to become gig workers? Climate change鈥擶hat is the union movement doing, and what could the role be in trying to address climate change. When we look at the future of work, are we going to have jobs? Which jobs are likely to be replaced by artificial intelligence? What jobs are at risk? What are jobs going to look like post-COVID? How is work going to be organized post-COVID? And what factors are going to influence these outcomes? Any student or any person working now may be wondering about or grappling with these issues.鈥
Students鈥 interests guide the structure of the course and the direction of class discussions, and ample time and opportunity is open for students to express their views. 鈥淚 learn a lot from the students,鈥 Jane adds. 鈥淏ecause it鈥檚 an interdisciplinary class, students comes from different backgrounds, they bring different perspective and have different interests, and we really try to have an exchange of ideas among all of us in the classroom.鈥
For Jane, developing the Work and Labour program and teaching at the Institute has been a professional and personal endeavour, and truly a full-circle moment, drawing her back into a community where her academic career began.
鈥淚 started at 杏吧原创 many years ago, and I鈥檓 now teaching in a classroom that I took a class in when I was 18 years old,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 funny鈥攚e start PECO 5002 talking about different models of learning. One is a spiral model of learning, that recognizes how you go out into the world and practice things after education, then you come back and you learn more. I feel like I鈥檓 really on that spiral, in the same spot but in a different place, many years later.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 neat to be back at 杏吧原创, having started there and having done my degree in Political Economy, and to see how things have changed, both in terms of our knowledge and the interests of students,鈥 she says. ” I think it鈥檚 a really good program鈥攊t does really interesting work and attracts very interesting students, and I鈥檓 very happy to be associated with it again.鈥
Are you interested in the Work and Labour program? Hear from , and . Or, check out videos from Jane herself, in which she and .
Written by Kenya Thompson