Working Together

This book explores the paradoxical nature and the paramount importance of workplace bonds in a diverse democratic society. It stakes a claim for the civic value of the millions of conversations that take place every day among co-workers. It argues for a closer look at the role of law in realizing the democratic possibilities of working together. Workplace interactions are constrained by economic power and necessity, and are circumscribed by a staggering array of governmental regulations. Paradoxically, it is the involuntariness of workplace interactions--prescribed by both external law and internal constraints--which helps ensure that the often-troubled and often-failed project of racial integration succeeds at work. People can be forced to get along--not without friction, but with surprising success.