Power in the Employment Relationship - Essay Structure Advice

Hey,

You should be able to find examples from your module framework about what kind of theoretical approaches have been looked at when addressing this type of question, but off the top of my head I would be looking to do something like:-

1) Starting off with an overview of neoliberal economic policy within recent Government's social policy. The most recent example of this being challenged is the trade union's reform bill the Conservative government is looking to enact. However, when considering leaders such as Thatcher, Blair, Cameron etc, there should be a whole variety of literature to refer to about their laissez-faire approach to free market regulations.

2) Once those practical examples have been outlined, you could draw upon classical and contemporary literature from Marxism to outline the critiques expressed towards capitalism. Additionally, if you wanted to intertwine this model of thought with the role that government plays in legitimising this power, you could make reference to Michel Foucault and what he states regarding biopower.

3) Outside of that, you could take a feminist focus to outline how patriarchal power is a key factor within the oppression of women. Gender roles not only risk diminishing their capacity to access certain industries, be promoted etc, but they're further disempowered by the way in which governments promote social policy that reinforces notions of women being responsible for child-rearing. As such, women face a 'dual burden' between having institutional barriers in employment, as well as sociopolitical barriers within social policy and welfare benefits (e.g. marriage tax-breaks).

That would be how I would look to approach it.

Hope that helps in some way!

Martin.