Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - LBST 330 D100

Selected Topics in Labour Studies (3)

Health, Illness, and the Politics of Work

Class Number: 3274

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Amy Krauss
    akrauss@sfu.ca
    Office Hours: Wednesdays 3-4pm, via Zoom or in person by appointment

  • Prerequisites:

    Strongly Recommended: LBST 101 and/or 301.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Selected topics in areas not currently offered within the undergraduate course offerings. Students may take more than one offering of LBST Selected Topics courses for credit, as long as the topic for each offering is different.

COURSE DETAILS:

Special Topic: Health, Illness, and the Politics of Work

Explores how experiences of illness, from covid-19 to autoimmune disorders, PMS, cancer, and depression, are linked to histories of racialized and gendered labor and resource extraction. We ask why, if conditions of labor under capitalism produce illness, exhaustion, and death, ideals of work and productivity still largely define how we imagine a good life. Course texts draw on ethnography, poetic and visual documentary, labor history and critical global health.

 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

-Learn key examples of workers’ struggles over health and healthcare access in different national and transnational contexts

-Understand how those struggles are part of the history of global racial capitalism

-Develop skills for analyzing forms and experiences of illness in relation to political economic structures and forces

-Question the values of work in capitalist society in relation to human and ecological wellbeing

Grading

  • Attendance and Participation (includes regular in-class and online activities graded for completion) 20%
  • Midterm Exam (in class February 13th, 5 short answers, 1-2 paragraphs) 20%
  • Two Film and Reading Responses (March 10th and 17th, 1-2 pages) 20%
  • Final Project Prep: Historical and Political Context (due March 31st, 1-2 pages) 20%
  • Final Project: Documentary Essay or Artwork (due April 10th, 4-6 pages) 20%

NOTES:

Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraws from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.

Grading System: The undergraduate course grading system is A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, N (N standing indicates student did not complete course requirements). Intervals for the assignment of final letter grades based on course percentage grades are as follows:

A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements

Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies: The Labour Studies Program follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T 20.01) and academic honesty and student conduct procedures (S10.01‐S10.04). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style.  It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.

Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.

Materials

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.