Bruce Nissen

Bruce Nissen (January 20, 1948) is a professor of labor studies and director of research at the Center for Labor Research and Studies (CLRS) at Florida International University (FIU). He also directs that university's Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy (RISEP).

Childhood and education

Nissen was born in Ames, Iowa, 1948 to Raymond and Irene Nissen.

He obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy and psychology from Grinnell College in 1970, a master's degree in labor studies from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1975.

He married Karen Lieberman in 1978. They have two sons.

Career

Nissen was appointed an assistant professor of labor studies at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis in 1981. In 1985, Nissen became an associate professor of labor studies at Indiana University Northwest.

Nissen joined Florida International University in 1997. His wife, Karen Lieberman, is a professor in the Hospitality College at the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University.

Research

Nissen's research focuses on a wide variety of topics regarding workers and the U.S. labor movement.

Early in his career he focused on the impact and dissemination of the "new labor history" in labor studies as well as its impact on labor education in higher education and labor unions themselves. His early work also centered on theories of the labor movement, enterprise zones, plant closings, labor-community coalitions confronting plant closings, the nature of a labor-management "accord" in the post-World War II years in the U.S. and similar topics.

His later research looks at living wage campaigns, labor-community coalitions, the future direction of the U.S. labor movement, unions and workplace reorganization, unions operating in a globalized environment, unions facing "union busting," and the like.

Memberships and awards

In 2004, Nissen was awarded FIU's Excellence in Research award, which annually honors an FIU educator who has engaged in cutting-edge research.

Nissen is a member of the United Association for Labor Education, and serves on the executive board of the organization. He is secretary-tresurer of the Labor and Labor Movements section of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

He has also served on numerous boards and commissions in his local community (such as the Community Coalition for a Living Wage and the South Florida chapter of Jobs with Justice) and has served as an advisory and researcher for county and state government.

Nissen is also the editor of "Labor Studies Journal".

elect published works

olely authored books

*"Fighting for Jobs: Case Studies of Labor-Community Coalitions Confronting Plant Closings." Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, 1995. ISBN 0791425673

Co-authored books

*Lieberman, Karen and Nissen, Bruce. "Ethics in the Hospitality Industry." Lansing, Mich.: Educational Institute, 2005. ISBN 0866122753

olely edited books

*"Unions and Workplace Reorganization." Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997. ISBN 0814327036
*"Unions in a Globalized Environment: Changing Borders, Organizational Boundaries, and Social Roles." Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 2002. ISBN 0765608693
*"U.S. Labor Relations 1945-1989: Accommodation and Conflict." New York: Garland Publishing, 1990. ISBN 0824071417
*"Which Direction for Organized Labor? Essays on Organizing, Outreach, and Internal Transformation." Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1999. ISBN 0814327796

Co-edited books

*Craypo, Charles and Nissen, Bruce, eds. "Grand Designs: The Impact of Corporate Strategies on Workers, Unions and Communities." Ithaca, N.Y.: ILR Press, 1993. ISBN 0875463096
*Larson, Simeon and Nissen, Bruce, eds. "Theories of the Labor Movement." Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1987. ISBN 0814318150

olely authored book chapters

*"Labor-Community Coalition Strengths and Weaknesses: Case Study Evidence." In "Partnering for Change: Unions and Community Groups Build Coalitions for Economic Justice." David Reynolds, ed. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2004. ISBN 0765612739
*"The Miami Living Wage Ordinance: Primary and Secondary Effects." In "Living Wage Movements: Global Perspectives." Deborah Figart, ed. New York: Routledge, 2004. ISBN 041532002X
*"Unions and Workplace Reorganization." In "Unions and Workplace Reorganization." Bruce Nissen, ed. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997. ISBN 0814327036
*"Utilizing the Membership to Organize the Unorganized." In "Organizing to Win: New Research on Union Strategies." Kate Bronfenbrenner, Sheldon Friedman, Richard W. Hurd, Rudolph A. Oswald, and Ronald L. Seeber, eds. Ithaca, N.Y.: ILR Press, 1998. ISBN 0801484464

Co-authored book chapters

*Nissen, Bruce and Grenier, Guillermo. "Unions and Immigrants in South Florida: A Comparison." In "Unions in a Globalized Environment: Changing Borders, Organizational Boundaries, and Social Roles." Bruce Nissen, ed. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 2002. ISBN 0765608693
*Nissen, Bruce and Rosen, Seth. "Community Based Organizing: Transforming Union Organizing Programs from the Bottom Up." In "Which Direction for Organized Labor? Essays on Organizing, Outreach, and Internal Transformation." Bruce Nissen, ed. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1999. ISBN 0814327796

olely authored articles

*"Alliances Across the Border: U.S. Labor in the Era of Globalization." "Working USA." 3:1 (May/June 1999).
*"Alternative Strategic Directions for the U.S. Labor Movement: Recent Scholarship." "Labor Studies Journal." 28:1 (Spring 2003).
*"Building a Minority Union: The CWA Experience at NCR." "Labor Studies Journal." 25:4 (Winter 2001).
*"The Effectiveness and Limits of Labor-Community Coalitions: Evidence from South Florida." "Labor Studies Journal." 29:1 (Spring 2004).
*"Fighting the Union in a 'Union Friendly' Company: The AT&T/NCR Case." "Labor Studies Journal." 23:3 (Fall 1998).
*"Living Wage Campaigns from a 'Social Movement' Perspective: The Miami Experience." "Labor Studies Journal." 25:3 (Fall 2000).
*"The Recent Past and Near Future of Private Sector Unionism in the U.S.: An Appraisal." "Journal of Labor Research." 24:2 (Spring 2003).
*"The Remarkable Rehabilitation of Company Unionism in Recent Industrial Relations Literature." "Critical Sociology." 25:1 (1999).
*"The Role of Labor Education in Transforming a Union Toward Organizing Immigrants: A Case Study." "Labor Studies Journal." 27:1 (Spring 2002).
*"Trouble in Paradise: Organizing Condominium Workers in the Sunshine State." "New Labor Forum." 14:3 (2005).
*"U.S. Workers and the U.S. Labor Movement." "Monthly Review." May 1981.
*"What Are Scholars Telling the U.S. Labor Movement to Do?" "Labor History." 44:2 (May 2003).

Co-authored articles

*DuBois, Thomas and Nissen, Bruce. "Changing Industrial Relations in Steel: Implications for Labor Education." "Labor Studies Journal." 12:2 (Fall 1987).
*Nissen, Bruce and Grenier, Guillermo. "Local Union Relations with Immigrants: The Case of South Florida." "Labor Studies Journal." 26:1 (Spring 2001).
*Nissen, Bruce and Rosen, Seth. "The CWA Model of Membership Based Organizing." "Labor Studies Journal." 24:1 (Spring 1999).

Notes

References

* [http://www.fiu.edu/~clrs/faculty/bruce_nissen.html Bruce Nissen, Center for Labor Research and Studies, Florida International University]
*"Who's Who in America." 58th ed. New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who's Who, 2004. ISBN 0837969778
*"Writers' Directory." 22nd ed. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale Group, 2007. ISBN 1558625984

External links

* [http://www.fiu.edu/~clrs/ Center for Labor Research and Studies, Florida International University]
* [http://www.risep-fiu.org/ Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy, Florida International Uiversity]