Arthur B. Shostak's Resume

ARTHUR B. SHOSTAK, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology Drexel University
Department of Psychology-Sociology-Anthropology
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

A. Books Published:

• CyberUnion: Empowering Labor through Computer Technology. (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1999)
  
  The first book to discuss the impact of computerization on the Labor Movement here and abroad. Offers a typology of three current union models (Cyber Naught, Cyber Drift, Cyber Gain) and outlines a distant and vastly improved model (CyberUnion) for Labor's consideration.
  Click here for reviews of CyberUnion...
  
  
• Private Sociology: Unsparing Reflections, Uncommon Gains. (Dix Hills, NY: General Hall, 1996)
  

  An edited collection of 23 first-person studies of that which we hesitate to tell. The first such book of its kind in American sociology. Essays reach such topics as childhood sexual victimization, the loss by murder of one's brother, the experience of having one's research stolen, the experience of dying in the aftermath of a medical mistake, the challenge of growing up a minority member, and so on.

• Impacts of Changing Employment: If the Good Jobs Go Away. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1996)
  

  An edited collection of 14 original essays exploring the potential of massive job loss and alternative public policy options before and after such an event.

• For Labor's Sake: Gains and Pains as Told by 28 Creative Inside Reformers (Lanham, MD:University Press of America, 1995)
  

  An edited collection of 28 first-person accounts by grass-roots activists of on-going efforts to renew the labor movement.

• Guidelines from Gomberg: No-Nonsense Advice for Labor-Management Relations(Phila., PA:Chapel, 1992)
  

  An edited collection of six timely essays by an internationally renowned professor of industrial and labor relations, William Gomberg, complete with commentary of mine.

• Robust Unionism: Innovations in the Labor Movement (Ithaca, NY:ILR Press, 1991)
  

  A scholarly monograph that explores and assesses the state of risk-taking and planned change in and by organized labor in this country.

• The Air Controllers' Controversy (co-authored with Dave Skocik; New York: Human Sciences, 1986)
  

  An analysis of the 1981 strike of PATCO, the firing of 11,400 strikers, and the lessons in this historic event for modern labor-management relations.

• Men and Abortion (co-authored with Gary McLouth and Lynn Seng; New York: Praeger, 1984)
  

  A scholarly exploration of the meaning of the abortion experience for 1,000 men located in the waiting rooms of 30 clinics in 18 states.

• Blue-Collar Stress (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1980)
  

  A scholarly monograph that focuses on work problems and reform possibilities where male manual workers are concerned.

• Our Sociological Eye: Personal Essays on Society and Culture (Sherman Oaks, CA: Alfred Publishing Co., 1977)
  

  An introductory text and reader. Combines basic concept discussions with illustrative first-person reflexive essays from 24 contributors.

• Modern Social Reforms: New Answers for America's Social Problems (New York: Macmillan Co., 1974)
  

  A scholarly monograph that explores overseas and frontier remedies for long-standing social dilemmas, such as alleviating poverty, delivering optimum health care, improving educational institutions, and many others.

• Privilege in America: An End to Inequality(Co-prepared with Jon and Sally Bould Von Til; New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Spectrum Series, 1974)
  

  A scholarly monograph on various aspects of social stratification and social egalitarianism. Includes three chapters of my own on the New Populism, the New Socialism, and the Ethnic Revival.

• Putting Sociology to Work: Case Studies in the Application of Sociology to Modern Social Problems(New York: David McKay Co., 1974)
  

  An edited collection of 26 original essays exploring off-campus uses of sociology in contemporary social reform projects.

• Sociology and Student Life(New York: David McKay Co., 1972)
  

  An edited collection of 32 reprinted essays that help illuminate both modern campus issues and the basic concepts of academic sociology.

• Blue-Collar Life(New York: Random House, 1968)
  

  A scholarly monograph analyzing hundreds of scattered research reports, and proposing original reforms for pressing blue-collar problems.

• Sociology in Action: Case Studies in Social Problems and Directed Social Change(Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Press, 1966)
  

  An edited collection of 38 first-person accounts of applied projects (23 original essays).

• New Perspectives on Poverty (Co-edited with W. Gomberg. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1965)
  

  An edited collection of 20 essays (6 originals).

• Blue-Collar World: Studies of the American Worker(Co-edited with W. Gomberg. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1964)
  

  An edited collection of 62 essays (55 originals) on blue-collar realities.

• America's Forgotten Labor Organization: The Role of the Single-Firm Independent Union in American Industry(Princeton, N.J.: Industrial Relations Section, 1962)
  

  A scholarly monograph drawing on my 1961 Ph.D. thesis research into unaffiliated company unions.

B. Books in Preparation:

• Unmentionable Matters: The Sociology of Indelicate Topics
  

  A monograph urging constructive attention to tabooed aspects of the human experience currently overlooked by the social sciences.

• MORE Robust Unionism
  

  A new edition of my 1991 book.

• Abortion: As if Men Mattered
  

  A monograph exploring problems and prospects where men and abortion are concerned.

C. Articles Published (1996 only):

• Clinical Sociology and the Labor Movement, in The Clinical Sociology Resource Book
  Edited by Jan Fritz (American Sociolgical Association, 1996).
• Better to Guard Your Soul at Work, in On the Horizon, March/April, 1996.
• Student Attitudes When Blue-Collar Employees Strike, in Thought & Action, Spring 1996. Co-authored with David Kutik.
• Education's Labor Watch. in On the Horizon, January-February, 1996

II. Research Record: (1992-1996):

• Winter,Spring, 1995-'96
  

  Research into sociology and its taboos, in preparation for writing Private Sociology: Unsparing Reflections, Uncommon Gains (Self-financed).

• Winter,Spring, 1992-'95
  

  Research on union inside reformers, in preparation for writing For Labor's Sake (Self-financed).

• Winter, Spring 1992
  

  Research on Lessons from Canada and Sweden for American Industrial Relations (Partial funding from The Swedish Institute and Sabattical Year support from Drexel University).

III. Professional Activities: (1996):

• 1996 - Presenter, Private Sociology: An Empowering New Option, Annual Meeting, Society for the Study of Social Problems, July.
• 1996 - Presenter, Future of Men's Roles, Annual Meeting, World Future Society, July.
• 1996 - Panelist, Annual Meeting, Sociological Practice Association, June.

IV. Commissioned Speeches: (1996; PARTIAL LIST; 35 or so speeches annually)

• 1996 - Keynoter, Future of Business and Industry, Eight Annual Conference of the Philadelphia Area Council for Excellence, May.
• 1996 - Keynoter, Future of Education Pennsylvania Chapter of the Gifted Child Association, November.
• 1996 - Speaker, Future of American Life, Insurance Society of Philadelphia, October.

V. Honors: (1990-1996)

• 1996 - Invited to present at the Amsterdam International Conference on Abortion Research.
• 1995 - Elected to a 3-year term as a Senator on the Faculty Senate.
• 1995 - Given Award by the Student Government for service as Faculty Adviser.
• 1994 - Given Award by the Jewish Labor Committee for service to the American Labor Movement.
• 1993 - Invited to participate in the American Labor Tour of Israel (sponsored by the Israel Bod Organization).
• 1992 - Chosen for a Study Tour Award by the Swedish Institute (Swedish-American Bicentennial Fund).
• 1990 - Chosen for the O'lester F. Ward Award for distinction in Applied Sociology by the Society for applied Sociology.

VI. Educational Background:

• 1958-1961--Department of Sociology, Princeton University.
  Awarded an M.A. degree in 1960, and a Ph.D. degree in 1961. (Thesis topic: "The Role and Viability of the Single-Firm Independent Union"; later published as America's Forgotten Labor Organization).
• 1954-1958--New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University.
  Awarded a B.S. degree with honors in 1958.

VII. Courses Taught:

• Behavioral Science (Graduate)
• Executive Development Seminars (with private companies)
• Honors Seminar: On the Nature of Knowing
• Industrial Psychology (Graduate)
• Industrial Relations (Graduate)
• Industrial Sociology (Undergraduate & Graduate)
• Introduction to Sociology
• Management, Technology and Society
• New Towns Design Course
• Race and Ethnic Relations
• Senior Seminar (Humanities-Technology Program)
• Social Change and Social Planning
• Social Implications of 20th Century Technology
• Social Problems
• Sociology of the Future
• The New City (Bi-Centennial Special Course)
• Urban Social Policy
• Urban Sociology

VIII. Professional and Related Memberships:

• American Association of University Professors
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American Humanist Association
• American Sociological Society (plus Sociological Practice Section; Science and Technology Section;Sociology of Occupations and Professions Section)
• Association for Humanist Sociology
• Eastern Sociological Society
• Jewish Labor Committee
• Organization Development Society
• Pennsylvania Sociological Society
• Society for Applied Sociology
• Society for the Study of Sociological Problems (plus Poverty and Welfare Section; Labor Studies Section)
• Sociological Practice Association
• Spring Conference (Chicago)
• Workers Education Local 189, CWA-AFL-CIO
• World Future Society (National and Philadelphia Chapter)

IX. Editorial board and/or Reviewer (Invited Memberships):

• Futures Research Quarterly
• Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare
• Occupational Safety and Health
• On the Horizon
• Sociological Practice Review
• Sociological Viewpoints

X. Previous Employment:

1961-1967--Assistant Professor, Sociology Department, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

X. Community Activities: (1980-1996)

• 1996 - Cofounder, A-Plus (Labor-Community Association)
• 1995 - Founder, Drexel University Faculty Association (DUFA)
• 1992-to date--Narberth Democratic Club
• 1986-'88-Executive Board, University City Arts League
• 1984--Executive Board, Industrial Human Services Council (Phila., Pa.)
• 1981--Founding Member, University City West Townwatch.
• 1980--Founding member, Philadelphia Chapter, World Future Society. (Chairperson, 1987-1990).

XI. Personal Data:

Married to Lynn Seng: two sons; two stepsons

Born May 11, 1937, New York City

Revised Fall, 1999